Lonely widower posts tear-jerking advert looking for a fishing partner — the response from strangers had him stunned

Losing someone is a devastating reality to a person. Death brings grief that no other pain can compare to. People lose not just a person but a connection that means everything to them. They lose a friend, a companion and so much more, creating a void that leaves them alone and broken. In such times, support and presence can be a hopeful blessing. An elderly widower, Ray Johnstone, faced the additional gut-wrenching pain of losing his wife, who was also his fishing partner. Feeling empty and lonely, the 75-year-old man decided to put up an ad online in search of someone to fish with him. His heartbreakingly honest ad went viral and people took humanity to the next level by stepping in as Johnstone’s ever-ready fishing partners, per BBC News.

The ad had a description of Johnstone, along with his picture and a poignant message. He wrote, "I'm a widowed pensioner who is looking for a fishing mate. My previous mate is now deceased.” He added that he would be glad to share all costs with the person. He didn't have many specifics and was simply looking for a fishing partner who could dedicate their time. His honesty and painstaking story were respected by many, going viral with overflowing invitations. A hashtag, #IllFishWithRay, was set up and people shared immense messages of love, and support and many even offered to fish with the man. Soon, Johnstone got to meet his next fishing partner, Mati Batsinilas, per ABC News. 

The 22-year-old, who also has an avid love for fishing, said, "Everyone was trying to get Ray and I hooked up together to do this trip." He shared a Facebook post revealing that he gladly accepted the offer and joined Johnstone on a fine experience. In another post, he even shared the huge catch the elderly man made with him. In still another Facebook post, Batsinilas shared that he asked Johnstone to spend some time with his family on an island and the bonding was surreal. He mentioned that the trip was usually done by him with his brothers but this time, he had two other brothers - Ray and his grandson Ivan. 

“Whilst on the island, we covered four-wheel driving, sightseeing, fishing, swimming, chats with the locals and best of all, just relaxing and chatting like mates. Once you reach a level of maturity in life, age should only be a number. My respect for Ray is very high but I treated him exactly the way I would have treated one of my 22-year-old mates,” Batsinilas wrote. It wasn’t just the youngster who was delighted to join Ray and make him smile but several others too. @CopoStoper wrote on X, “I’m happy to say Ray found a new fishing mate.” Many more shared their skills with fishing and asked the man to join them.

 “My phone has just not stopped. I can't believe this even happened,” Johnstone delightfully said, per 7 News Adelaide. "I just like getting out in the fresh air and keeping myself active. I don't want to end up as a vegetable like some old people do,” he added and he was glad that his ad successfully helped him accomplish the same. After his ad went viral, Johnstone had sufficient fishing partners to have a good time with.