Woman Throws Midnight Party for 82-Year-Old Landlord-Turned-Friend (Exclusive)

Kalina Ross knew her 82-year-old landlord Pops had a routine — nap at 8 p.m., wake at 11 p.m., and cook dinner in their shared kitchen. This year, she and her daughter decided to turn it into a birthday surprise that would go viral.

“We always know when Pops is up because it sounds like a shuffle party below the kitchen,” Ross tells PEOPLE. That late-night soundtrack became the theme for his “Midnight Shuffle Party,” complete with margaritas and his favorite music.

Ross posted the moment on TikTok, where viewers were charmed by the cozy scene and Pops’ unique schedule. The video explained, “We decided to throw pops a midnight birthday party because he always naps around 8pm and wakes at 11pm and cooks dinner.”

The caption added, “We always know when pops is up because it sounds like a shuffle party below the kitchen lol so we threw him a ‘midnight shuffle party’ with margaritas and his favorite songs.” In the clip, Pops smiles as he’s greeted in the kitchen after waking up.

For Pops, who has lived in Denver for decades, the celebration was about more than just a birthday. It was another moment in a friendship that has grown into a chosen family.

The two met in 2020 when Ross rented one of Pops’ properties. “Since I live across the alley from there and own the property, I encountered her quickly on the property and said hello,” Pops tells PEOPLE.

Over time, they stayed in touch through shared interests like gardening. Last year, Ross moved into Pops’ in-home basement apartment with her 3-year-old son, her 20-year-old daughter, and later, her mother.

Pops’ schedule is unlike most. “I usually only sleep in the bed for three or four hours,” he says. Mornings are spent working outside, caring for the garden and the property.

Evenings are quieter, often ending with him falling asleep on the couch while watching recorded news programs. “When they come upstairs to use the kitchen, if they just glance in the other direction, there’s my couch and there’s me asleep,” he says with a grin.

That routine inspired the October birthday surprise. Ross says she and her daughter, both “avid TikTokers,” came up with the idea as a budget-friendly way to make the day special.

“In all honesty, we’ve always made fun of him — in a loving way — about the shuffle,” Ross says, comparing it to the “Midnight Margaritas” scene from the movie Practical Magic, which Pops enjoys.

To keep it a surprise, they set everything up while Pops napped just 15 feet away. “First stage is rubbing his eyes and he sits like this for a good 20 minutes,” Ross says. “Stage two is he starts to get up, a little disheveled — we didn’t want to scare him.”

When he finally walked in, the reaction was immediate. “I was shocked,” Pops says. “It had been many, many years since I’d had a birthday celebration like that.”

The timing was meaningful. His stepson and granddaughter had recently moved out after years of living with him, and he was adjusting to the idea of being alone for the first time in a while.

Ross says Pops “literally saved my life” by offering her a home during an emergency. Pops says he just saw her situation and wanted to help.

Since then, life in the home has been lively. “We’re having a ball, honestly,” Pops says. Four generations now share the space — Ross’ toddler, her young adult daughter, her mother in her 70s, Ross, and Pops.

“I don’t think there are any others quite like this one,” Pops says. When the TikTok went viral, Ross says many commenters shared how much they missed their grandparents.

“That’s really the response,” she says. “Seeing how many people miss their grandparents or wish they had cherished them differently.”

Viewers also noted Pops’ “cool” style — including his Vans sneakers, which he didn’t realize were trendy. “The cool people don’t know they’re cool,” Ross teases.

Pops, who rarely uses the internet, says the attention feels strange. “It almost feels like it doesn’t fit for me to be viewed by the better part of a million people,” he says. “I never would’ve done it.”

Still, he’s letting Ross take the lead. “She’s dragging me to it kicking and screaming, but I like it,” he says. “I haven’t objected.”

The viral moment also marked the start of something bigger. Ross launched The Golden Age Foundation, a nonprofit aimed at restoring connection, purpose and joy to older adults.

“Our mission really is to restore connection, purpose and joy in the lives of those in their golden years,” she says. Caring for both children and elders over the years, Ross saw firsthand how common loneliness can be.

She recalls posting online for toddler clothes for her son, only to have older neighbors respond. “I’d go to their house, they’d want to talk, they’d ask for a picture of my son,” she says. “It was just growing and growing.”

Her background includes helping her ex-partner start a nonprofit in mental health and wellness. With Pops, she saw how small acts — like going to a movie — can make a big difference.

Pops remembers when movie times were listed in the newspaper. “It’s not there now, but it’s on the internet,” he says, adding that it’s harder to navigate.

The Golden Age Foundation plans to offer companionship, acts of service, mental health workshops and home support for older adults. Ross says loneliness affects people across all income levels.

Some of the most isolated people she met lived in large, beautiful homes with no one visiting. For the nonprofit’s name, she and her daughter brainstormed until “The Golden Age” stuck.

They recently secured a fiscal sponsor, finished the website and officially launched on August 11. Pops says he’s on board. 

The work feels like a new world to him. “I might as well make a visit to Mars and look around — hey boy, this sure is different,” he says with a laugh.

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Still, Pops says he’s lucky. “Most 82-year-olds don’t have such a wild, delightful routine going,” he says.

Ross hopes their story reminds people of the value of bringing generations together. “We have to get back to intergenerational mixing because we’ve lost it,” she says. “I think this is one of the happiest times of all our lives.”

For Pops, the shuffle across the kitchen floor started as a birthday celebration. Now, thanks to TikTok, that joyful moment has been seen far beyond their shared home.