A grandma who lost her husband at the start of their long-awaited retirement together was surprised with a new condo for a fresh start after she couldn’t face living alone in their shared home.
Angela Foradis, 70, and late husband Konstantinos, known as Gus, from Cleveland, Ohio, were the epitome of the American Dream, having moved to the U.S. from Greece in the 1970s.
They started a restaurant that became a hub for their community, and over the years the couple worked hard in a demanding industry, saving for their own home before passing the business to their children.
At the start of their retirement, Angela and Gus sold their house and moved into a cozy apartment, ready for the next chapter, only for tragedy to strike.
Ahead of what would have been their first long trip back to Greece in retirement, Gus travelled a few days before Angelina, but sadly passed away suddenly, before she arrived, on New Year’s Eve 2019.
Gus was laid to rest in his native country, and since that day Angela has made numerous trips home – but the retirement apartment she always returned to in the U.S. became a growing source of sadness.
What should have been the base for a new chapter for the couple made the echo of absence feel even stronger, family members said, and so they decided Angela needed a fresh start.
Having found and purchased what they thought was the perfect condo, family members all chipped in to help with painting, furnishing, gardening, and creating a clean space with all-new items.
Then, on October 16, 2025, shortly after Angelina had returned from a recent trip to Greece, family members planned a traditional catch-up meal for when she was back home.
On the way to the restaurant, Angela was told by her daughter and granddaughter they were stopping by a friend’s new condo to pick something up, and that family members had decided to meet there, since it was near the restaurant.
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The 70-year-old admired the interior and even started making a comments that she’d love to own such a home but couldn’t afford one.
Then, Angela spotted a photo of her and Gus and was confused, before she spotted more family photos were seen dotted around the condo.
Angela’s granddaughter, Angelina, who had been capturing the moment on video, then placed a set of keys into her grandmother’s hand, and the family shouted, “Surprise! Welcome to your new home!”
Angelina said: “Seeing my grandma so clueless at first was incredibly endearing.
“Placing the keys in her hands and seeing her eyes light up with joy warmed my heart, I hadn’t seen her smile so brightly since my grandpa passed away.
“Truthfully, when he died, it felt like a part of her went with him, and it’s been heartbreaking to see her trying to move on while still living in the apartment where they made all their memories.
“We gave her a new lease on life and a new purpose.
“She is the most deserving person in the world because she has always put her family first, her three children, their spouses, and her 7 grandchildren.
“I can confidently say that the love we have for her is unparalleled, and she is the glue that holds our family together.
“The apartment she shared with my grandfather was not in a good neighborhood, not in good condition, nor was it easy for her to walk up three flights of stairs to get to her apartment every day.
“She was absolutely miserable and never complained.
“Her and my grandfather had given everything they had to their children to help them financially.
“My mom and her brothers wanted to give back to the most deserving mother, who gave to them, and everyone she knows.
“Her and my grandfather are the most loving, generous people I have ever met.”
