Vito had danced to the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” before dying shortly after friends sang “Happy Birthday” at the Halloween-themed gathering.
LOS ANGELES — A 97-year-old California man known publicly only as Vito died during his own birthday celebration shortly after he was filmed smiling, clapping and dancing with friends to the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” according to accounts shared by people who attended the gathering.
The Halloween-themed party drew widespread attention after Los Angeles baker Eden Malinoff, 24, posted video from the celebration on social media. Malinoff, who described Vito as her neighbor and friend, said he wanted a lively party for his 97th birthday. His full name, the exact location of the gathering and an official cause of death had not been publicly released as of Thursday.
Video from the party showed Vito wearing dark clothing and moving to the Bee Gees’ 1977 disco hit as friends gathered around him. Malinoff said Vito remained energetic and social despite being decades older than most members of their friend group. She told viewers that she sometimes had trouble keeping up with him and described him as “the life of the party.”
Malinoff also made a red wine chocolate cake for the celebration. She said the idea came after she asked Vito about the secret to his long life and he jokingly told her never to drink cheap liquor. Footage shared online showed the cake being presented during a gathering that Malinoff characterized as a Halloween birthday party in keeping with Vito’s personality.
The celebration later took an unexpected turn. Malinoff said Vito died during the party after spending the evening surrounded by friends. Caleb Turner, who identified himself online as Vito’s best friend, said Vito died shortly after the group sang “Happy Birthday.” Turner said Vito had danced shortly beforehand and was with close friends when he died.
Turner also said Vito had medical problems whose seriousness had not been fully understood by those around him. He said Vito died peacefully while favorite music was playing. No medical authority or family representative identified in the reports reviewed Thursday had released a specific cause of death or additional details about those health problems.
The timing attracted particular attention online because Vito had been dancing to “Stayin’ Alive” shortly before his death. The coincidence became a focus of comments as Malinoff’s video spread across TikTok and other social platforms. Reports on the video accumulated rapidly, while some viewers initially questioned whether the unusual account was genuine.
Malinoff said the ending was not what those at the party had expected, but she portrayed the gathering as a celebration of Vito’s long life rather than focusing only on his death. She said he was surrounded by people he loved and expressed gratitude for having been part of the celebration. Turner’s comments similarly described the night as a birthday gathering among close friends before Vito’s death.
The available public accounts rely primarily on Malinoff’s social media post and comments attributed to Turner. Independent public records establishing Vito’s full identity and an official medical finding on his death were not cited in the reports reviewed Thursday. As of Nov. 5, those details remained undisclosed.
Author note: Last updated November 5, 2026.