Instead, he made a much more personal decision.
He invited Norma to move in with him.
And he invited her cat, Hermes, too.
The arrangement meant that Norma would not have to leave the neighborhood she loved simply because she had become ill.
It also meant that she would not have to spend her remaining time surrounded only by medical institutions or unfamiliar environments.
The story was reported by multiple news organizations at the time. KTVU described how Salvatore allowed Cook and her cat to move into his apartment after funds for round-the-clock caregiving began running out.
Chris later explained that the alternative would have been for Norma to enter a facility.
He could not bring himself to do that to someone he considered his own grandmother.
So two neighbors became roommates.
And an ordinary apartment became something much more meaningful: a place where Norma could spend her final chapter surrounded by people she knew and loved.
Their New Life Was Surprisingly Ordinary
Perhaps one of the most touching things about their story is that their life together was not constantly dramatic.
There were no elaborate celebrations every day.
There was no extraordinary event every morning.
Instead, there were ordinary moments.
Chris cooked for Norma.
They watched television.
They talked.
They ate snacks.
They drank champagne.
They spent time with Hermes.
Norma even joked about Chris's cooking and suggested that if acting did not work out for him, perhaps he could become a chef.
The humor mattered.
So did the routine.
Illness can reduce a person's world to appointments, medications, hospital rooms, test results, and medical decisions.
But friendship can restore some of the ordinary rhythms of life.
A meal is still a meal.
A television program is still something to laugh about.
A pet can still provide comfort.
A familiar voice can still make a room feel like home.
And a friend sitting nearby can make a frightening day feel slightly less frightening.
Home Can Mean More Than a Physical Place
The National Institute on Aging notes that end-of-life care can take place in different settings, including at home, in a hospital, or in a residential care facility. When home care is appropriate and desired, being at home can provide privacy and allow friends and family to come and go more freely.
That does not mean home is automatically the best choice for every person.
End-of-life care can be medically complex, and professional support may be necessary. The NIA emphasizes that caregivers should work closely with health professionals to determine what level of care is needed and whether it can safely be provided at home.
But in Norma's case, the emotional meaning of home was unmistakable.
She did not simply need somewhere to sleep.
She wanted familiarity.
She wanted companionship.
She wanted her cat.
And she wanted to remain surrounded by people and things that made her feel like herself.
Chris's decision helped make that possible.
The Importance of Not Dying Alone
There is a profound difference between receiving medical care and feeling cared for.
Medical professionals can provide medication, monitoring, treatment, and symptom management.
But human beings also need emotional connection.
The NIA explains that end-of-life care involves more than physical comfort. People approaching the end of life may have emotional, mental, spiritual, and practical needs as well.
For Norma, Chris became an important part of that emotional support.
He was familiar.
He knew her personality.
He knew her favorite drink.
He knew her routines.
He knew her sense of humor.
He knew when she was being stubborn.
And most importantly, he knew her as a person—not simply as a patient.
That distinction matters.
A medical chart might describe someone's age, diagnosis, medications, and symptoms.
A friend remembers the person behind all of those things.
Norma was not simply an 89-year-old woman with leukemia.
She was Norma.
She was the woman who loved champagne.
The woman who had strong opinions.
The woman who loved her cat.
The woman who had spent decades in her apartment building.
The woman who had become Chris's grandmother in every way that mattered except biology.
Their Story Also Shows the Power of Social Connection
The emotional impact of Chris and Norma's friendship is not just sentimental.
Research increasingly shows that social connection is closely linked to health and well-being.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk of several serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, depression, anxiety, dementia, and earlier death. Older adults are among the groups at increased risk of social isolation.
The National Institute on Aging similarly reports associations between loneliness and social isolation and conditions including depression, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and dementia.
This does not mean friendship can cure a serious illness.
It cannot.
Chris himself could not make Norma's leukemia disappear.