Couple follows a musical Christmas tradition with 97-year-old neighbor every year

Music has the amazing ability to bring people together. There's something about being able to sing or play an instrument that helps people bond and form genuine connections. Lydia Pender, a 32-year-old woman and her husband Andy, a 33-year-old, moved to Hawaii a few years ago, per Good Morning America. Upon moving into their new apartment, the couple would often hear music coming through the walls. It never occurred to them that this music would lead them to form a wholesome bond with their adorable 97-year-old neighbor.

Pender spoke about the music she first heard, saying, "I would hear constant music coming through the walls and we just wanted to know who the neighbor was on that side." The couple could not hold onto their curiosity for long and finally decided to just go over one night and introduce themselves. The door was answered by Derek Peart, who had a special talent for playing the piano by ear. He was 95 years old when the couple first met him and had lost his wife the previous year.

The woman revealed how Peart was the first person the couple got to know in the building and how they immediately hit it off with him. Soon, the couple began to invite him over for dinner and drinks. They knew he was passionate about music, so they watched the Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga special with him on their TV. The show pushed them to begin a "dinner and show" tradition, where Peart would come in to entertain the couple with his piano performance while the couple offered him dinner.

Pender posted a video on TikTok and Instagram showcasing their wholesome tradition and Peart's amazing performance to the rest of the internet. The video went viral, amassing 1.1 million views and over 1971 comments on the social media site. The video has a text overlay that reads, "POV: you're invited to dinner and a show with my 97-year-old neighbor." We see the couple standing outside his door with a box of pizza. The man opens the door and states that seeing the couple was a "nice surprise."

The video cuts and viewers get to see the three of them sitting around the table with some delicious pizza and beer. After they are done eating, Peart begins his performance on the piano. The couple claps after each performance and we see how happy Peart is. People on the site absolutely loved their cute tradition and shared their thoughts in the comments section. @callane90 said, "Are you kidding me? Give that man a hug from all of us. I hope we get to see more of him!"

@sunshineismyhappyplace commented, "Please keep visiting him. Elders are so important. Thank you for showing up for him." Another individual, @danhr8998, expressed, "This would make anyone's day, no matter the age of the person. Hell, it made my day and I wasn't even there." @kristine.loehrer said, "I just love this. You can tell how much it means to him to spend time together. He's in wonderful shape for 97."