A 97-year-old California man died at his own birthday party moments after dancing to the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” bringing a joyful Halloween celebration to a sudden and tragic end. Vito had been clapping, swaying and smiling shortly before his death, as reported by The New York Post.

Los Angeles baker Eden Malinoff, 24, shared the remarkable account after throwing the birthday bash for Vito, her neighbor. The party took place last week, and Malinoff posted footage from the celebration to TikTok on Monday.

The video showed Vito dressed for the occasion in a black button-down shirt and dress pants. As the familiar 1970s disco song played, he moved with the music, clapped his hands, and appeared delighted by the celebration around him.

Vito seemed to be enjoying every moment before the party took its heartbreaking turn. He suddenly died shortly after the guests had gathered to sing “Happy Birthday” to him.

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Malinoff said the Halloween celebration reflected exactly the sort of party Vito wanted. Even at 97, he was ready to mark his birthday with music, friends, cake and a lively room.

“This past week was Vito’s 97th brirthday, and in true Vito fashion, he wanted to celebrate by throwing a Halloween birthday rager,” Malinoff, who runs the cake and cookie business Baked, said.

Malinoff did her part by preparing a cake specifically for the birthday guest. Her choice of flavor came from Vito’s own colorful advice about the secret behind his long life.

“So of course I made him a cake. When I asked him the secret to living such a long life, he told me it was to never drink cheap liquor,” she added.

Malinoff explained that she made a red wine chocolate cake in Vito’s honor. The creation served as a fitting tribute to his playful answer and the personality that made him such a memorable presence among his much younger friends.

Although Vito was decades older than most members of Malinoff’s friend group, she described him as a beloved part of it. His age apparently did little to contain his energy or enthusiasm when a party was underway.

“If I learned one thing from Vito, it’s to never let your age stop you,” Malinoff said.

She also made clear that keeping pace with Vito was no easy task, even for someone 73 years younger. His performance during the party became one last display of the spirit his friends had come to cherish.

“This man lived his life to the fullest, all the way up until his last moments, quite literally. At 24 years old, I could not keep up with this man; he was the life of the party,” she said.

Malinoff acknowledged that the celebration ended in a way nobody expected. Still, she said the surroundings, the music and the people beside Vito made the moment consistent with how he had chosen to live.

“Unfortunately, the night did not end as anticipated, and Vito made a dramatic exit. But if there’s any way he could have chosen to go out, it would have been like this,” she added. “He was surrounded by people he loved, we were celebrating his long and full life, and I’m just so grateful I got to be a part of it.”

Vito’s best friend separately confirmed the death on social media. The friend said Vito had medical issues, but those around him had not understood how serious those problems were.

“He had some medical issues that we didn’t know the severity of, and he passed away peacefully with his favorite music going,” the friend posted.

Malinoff’s tribute quickly drew an enormous audience online, attracting 9.5 million views on TikTok. She capped the video with a short farewell that matched the affection and admiration running through her account.

“RIP to an absolute legend,” Malinoff wrote.