Brooke Britton from Stow, Ohio, wrote:

I absolutely love this story. It is so heartwarming. The fact that these two met through social media is crazy. It shows that unlikely friendships happen in unlikely places. A twenty-two year old and a eighty-one year old are so unlikely but so perfect. She gives the younger man advice on how to live life and I love that. I bet their story has convinced many people around the world in a similar situation or relationship to take a chance to meet someone that has become such a good friend to them. You can learn so much from being friends with someone different then you...You can learn how to accept someone who is different than you... you can learn that you do not have pressure to act or be like your friends. It is okay to be different.

Kate Silver from Wilmington, N.C., shared her own story of an unexpected friendship:

My friend Helen and I like to sit on her porch, debate politics, and drink Frescas. She loves to praise Trump and his “Great Wall” while I talk about the dangers of climate change and non-renewable resources. Her dog, Baxter, likes to rub up against my arm, begging for attention, while we rock back and forth in wooden rocking chairs. Most people don’t see us as friends, but who can blame them? She’s a 73 year old retired military nurse and I’m a 16 year old high school student. It’s quite the unexpected duo. But I enjoy listening to her detailed stories about her experiences in combat or her times working as an emergency room nurse. We teach each other new things and learn from each other each time we are together. I taught her how to change the camera settings on her iPhone, and she showed me how to drive a stick shift car, but most importantly, we showed each other that friendship has no boundaries. Despite our polar opposite stances on politics and our 60 something year age difference, our bond is truer and deeper than any other.

Kayla K. from Philadelphia was affected by Mr. Sleyon’s and Ms. Guttman’s ability to transcend age and race:

I honestly think their story is beautiful. It really captures how we, the human race, should be to each other. At least in Philadelphia, many teenagers disrespect random elders for “fun” and it isn’t respectful either. Mr. Sleyon and Mrs. Guttman made me think about how teenagers/young adults have so much in common with elderly people. Honestly, teenagers from the 1960s went through the same things that teenagers from 2000s are going through, “teenage problems” wise. This story really brings out how people are more alike than they realize.

And Lauren Williams from Kent, Ohio, thought the world would be a better place if we all followed Mr. Sleyon’s and Ms. Guttman’s example of friendship:

I felt that their story could help many people struggling to see the good in humanity. Their story could help create some change of heart in people who are narrow-minded. By being friends with people who are different than me, it allows room for growth. Not only can I learn about other culture’s, but I can learn about other people and how to make the world a better place. I feel that if more people followed this philosophy, that overall the world could improve drastically.

Alyssa S from NWHS told us how she has formed bonds with people who are different from her:

I do have some unlikely friendships. I volunteer at a school for very low-functioning people ages five to twenty-one. Through my volunteer work, I have developed many unlikely friendships. I have built a relationship with the teachers and other staff members as well as the students. My relationship with the students is rather unlikely because none of the students can hold a regular conversation. They are mostly non-verbal and have poor motor skills. This can make it difficult for people to create a friendship with these students, but not for me. I have been able to develop friendships with these students through our differences. Sometimes the unlikely friendships are the best friendships.

Given his relationship with his best friend, Douglas Johnson from Philadelphia believes it is entirely possible to be friends with people different from you, as long as you have trust and understanding:

My best friend is someone that i’d never see myself being close with or having a bond with , maybe it’s how they present themselves on their exterior that made me form this conclusion but the purpose is I was wrong.When times were not exactly “sunshine and rainbows“ for me , he extended a hand that I needed or else I wouldn’t have overcome some of the things that bring me here today , and it’s been that way ever since and I don’t see this friendship fading. Being friends with someone who is different from you of course has its challenges but it comes with plenty of benefits that out-weight the challenges , you learn how to not judge people and adapt to the fact that everyone is different. So to answer your question I find Mr.Sleyon and Ms.Guttman’s story intriguing because I found an unlikely friendship in my own best friend.

Michelle Lopez from Georgia agreed:

I believe it definitely is possible for two people to be friends with very different backgrounds because friendships aren’t about physical appearance or where they come from, it’s about whether that person is always there for you when you need them the most.

Aamir B from Philly thought one could learn a lot from being friends with others from different backgrounds:

To build a solid relationship across differences I believe there must be room for change and acceptance. I have unlikely friendships and I met this friend by playing basketball at a local park with him. We kept our friendship over time by accepting our differences and experiencing our differences (coming to accept them)

NYC.EC from Paris believes having different friends can enrich one’s life:

It is not necessarely similarities between two people that make them get along with each other, it plays a part but a good friendship is mainly built on the foundation of common values. That means your friend shares your spiritual, moral, and ethical convictions. It is cool to hang out with people who are similar to us but hanging out with people who are different makes us more open-minded.

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