It's no secret that loneliness is a profound issue in the older generation, with Age UK reporting that there are 1.4 million chronically lonely older people in England alone.
The problem has been exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic too, forcing people, particularly over the age of 50, to stay at home and discouraging socializing.
However, after months of near enough total isolation, one elderly man decided to take a more unusual approach than most and put a sign in his window asking for friends.
Tony Williams, 88, lost his wife back in May, and with no nearby family or friends, he has gone days without talking to another person.
Desperate for a friend, the retired physicist took out an ad in his local newspaper and handed out cards with his contact details, but neither of these actions was successful, so, in a desperate last attempt for friends, he put a sign in his window.
"I have lost Jo. My lovely wife and social mate. I have no friends or family. No one to talk to. I find the unremitting silence 24 hours a day unbearable torture. Can no one help me?" the poster read.
Now, after pictures of the poster went viral, Tony has been overwhelmed by offers of friendship, having been inundated with phone calls and letters from wellwishers around the world.
Tony is now considering taking the poster down and said that it has very much been a case of mission accomplished, the Daily Mail reports.
One of the first people to reach out was television personality Dame Esther Rantzen.
However, it wasn't long before countless others got in touch too.
Tony said that he answered around 100 calls, with his answering machine also full of messages. he said. He received messages of support from all over the world, with many people getting in touch telling Tony they empathized with his situation having gone through bereavements themselves.
Hopefully, Tony's story will inspire others suffering from loneliness to reach out for help too.