A man in California celebrated his 97th birthday alongside friends, cake, and some classic tunes. Shortly after dancing for a bit, including to the Bee Gees song “Stayin’ Alive,” the man sadly passed away right at his party. According to his loved ones, this was the perfect sendoff.
Eden Malinoff shared the news of the man’s passing online. His name was Vito. Eden is the CEO of Baked, a cookie and cake business located in Los Angeles, California. The clip attached above quickly became one of Eden’s most-viewed videos. It garnered 6.1 million views, 959,900 likes, and more than 6,600 comments.
Eden, whose clip mostly featured her making Vito’s cake, explained the situation. Her friend group, she said, includes several 20- and 30-something-year-olds. However, Vito, a 96-year-old man, was also a member of said group, and a very beloved one. He was close to turning 97, so he decided he wanted to have some fun.
“In true Vito fashion, he wanted to celebrate by throwing a Halloween birthday rager. So of course I needed to make him a cake,” Eden said.
An Unexpected Goodbye
The California baker made Vito a red wine chocolate cake that “sat on top like fine wine.” The party came by, and everyone was having an amazing time. Vito really enjoyed his birthday celebration, and he could be seen dancing to several songs, including “Stayin’ Alive,” a moment that was shared online separately.
Unfortunately, things took a sad turn. According to Eden, Vito made a “dramatic exit,” meaning that he passed away at the party. This was confirmed on Instagram by a user claiming to be Vito’s best friend. He said Vito died just after everyone sang him “Happy Birthday.”
“He had some medical issues that we didn’t know the severity of, and he passed away peacefully with his favorite music going,” Vito’s best friend said. Eden, meanwhile, said, “If there’s any way Vito could have chosen to go out, it would have been like this. He was surrounded by people he loved. We were celebrating his long and full life. And I am just so grateful that I got to be a part of it.”
“RIP to an absolute legend,” the California baker wrote in the video’s description.
Reactions
The video sparked multiple responses, mostly from viewers who were in disbelief. One asked, “I’m sorry, how are you not TRAUMATIZED?” Another one commented, “I refuse to believe this is real.”
Others took issue with how Eden shared the news of Vito passing. One wrote, “Why are you so nonchalant about him literally dying?” Another one added, “If this is a lie, it’s tasteless. If it’s true, it’s also tasteless.”
Eden responded to these criticisms by saying that Vito wouldn’t want his loved ones to remain sad. She said, “This was such a Vito way to go out, so it’s a tribute to his iconic life.”
