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ID: TT-4959

Elderly Man Heads To Pet Store To Adopt Cat After Wife's Funeral To Combat Loneliness

An elderly man has warmed the hearts of the internet as, on the day of his wife's funeral, he headed straight to his local pet store to adopt a homeless cat for company. Gary Pitel, 90, had been married to his wife Joan, 86, for 59 years before she passed away. The pair never went anywhere without each other, family members said, and at a luncheon after Joan's funeral, on June 1, Gary told relatives he would like to get a cat as soon as possible to combat loneliness. He and family members headed straight to their local PetSmart near Bridgeton, New Jersey, where Gary immediately set his eye on a white cat called Evita. Gary's granddaughter, Madison, 23, recorded Gary's search, which she pieced together clips of and shared on social media. Family members tried not to get Gary's hopes up, as there was an application process he needed to go through that they were worried he might not be approved for. But, the following day, Gary's application was approved, and he was able to adopt Evita, who, for a short time, he renamed "Joansie", his wife's nickname. Eventually, Gary settled on Eva, and the two have since built an inseparable friendship, Madison said. Eva, 2, now follows Gary around his house and sleeps on the end of his bed every night.
Release Status:
TV & Digital
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Location: Bridgeton, New Jersey, USA
  • Date Acquired: 06-10-2021
  • Date Filmed: 06-01-2021
  • Orientation: Vertical
  • Footage Type: Cell Phone
  • Rights :  TV & Digital, Commercial, Publishing
Tags:  cat , adopt , funeral , pet store , bridgeton , new jersey

Elderly Man Heads To Pet Store To Adopt Cat After Wife's Funeral To Combat Loneliness

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