Man Turns 50, Finally Finds 'Dashing' Love of His Life

When deciding who the latest is in a long list of trending social media stars, an influencer in their 20s usually comes to mind—often complete with what they present as being the "perfect" life.

But the internet's newest darling is a 50-year-old Italian man, and TikTokers have been busy swooning over his #fitchecks—Gen Z lingo for videos that show off an outfit—his messy breakup, and his bond with his new puppy.

Enrico Gardumi, or Zio Enrico (Uncle Enrico) as he's known on TikTok, is an international business developer from Milan who has stumbled across online fame after posting short videos about his life to TikTok.

The 50-year-old, who joined the platform in July 2023, has amassed over 90,000 engaged followers since he began posting about the painful breakup he'd experienced that same summer. He's since posted about his daily life, which includes outfit videos shot in corners of Rome and the lessons he learned in his younger years. When he's not showing off his street style, Zio Enrico can be found dishing out anything from dating to skincare advice while juggling his IRL job.

While the internet welcomes everyone, it's safe to say that Gardumi is a little different from the average "breakup blogger," and TikTokers soon began raving about his contribution to this largely millennial space. Gardumi's effortless sense of style, which could rival even the most established fashion week attendees, and his spunky video edits have impressed many younger viewers.

The influencer draws attention to his middle age in much of his content and frequently assures his audience that he's never felt "physically and mentally stronger" or cooler.

"I embarked on my TikTok journey when I was going through the hardest breakup of my life, at 50 years old. I had been expressing my pain to my niece, Silvia, all summer and she filmed me and uploaded the video to the platform, which somehow went viral," Gardumi, who now lives in Rome, told Newsweek.

"Since then, I've been on a journey of self-discovery and healing, understanding the blessings of turning 50 and navigating a new chapter of my life, which now unexpectedly includes a social media presence," he said.

"To kick off 2024, I decided to adopt Lulu, my beloved dachshund. What most people don't know is that adopting Lulu wasn't a random decision but actually stems from the end of that very relationship which I spoke about in my first viral video. It deeply marked me," he added.

Gardumi had been in love with both his ex-partner and her dog, who the pair had taken everywhere they went. The influencer had never owned a pet before but found himself besotted by the breed: long-haired dachshunds.

"It's like she opened up a whole new world of love and affection that I had never experienced before and that only pet owners can understand. After the breakup, I turned 50 and entered a period of deep introspection and decided that the next chapter of my life would be peaceful and filled with love," he said.

"That's when I decided to adopt Lulu, a wire-haired dachshund that is identical to my ex's dog and who also happens to be female. She was the only girl in her batch of male puppies, and I begged to have her."

Lulu made her first appearance on Gardumi's TikTok account @igardumiz on January 23. To date, the video has been viewed more than 503,000 times.

Gardumi said in the post: "Turned 50 this year, and after many relationships, I finally found the love of my life."

"He is dashing," one user wrote, although Lulu is a female dog.

"Lulu, you are perfect," another user added.

"I Named My Dog After My Ex"

"Lulu is named after my ex-partner, which my niece and nephew make fun of me for, but I think it's a full circle moment for me. She was my first true love—yes, even at 50, it's never too late, and I owe my love for dachshunds to her. She showed me what incredible companions they are and I thank her for that," Gardumi told Newsweek.

Gardumi has not started dating again since his online presence skyrocketed, which will come as a relief to his adoring followers, many of whom hilariously comment that they'd volunteer to be his wife if needed.

"My niece and I came up with a funny reply to everyone asking whether I'm dating again by introducing Lulu as the 'love of my life' because she is. It's a full circle moment to introduce her on my platform," he said.

"I've finally healed from the breakup, and this marks a new chapter with her as my adventure buddy in my newly renovated Roman apartment."

"Lulu symbolizes a lot for me, and my entire family is already obsessed with this little dachshund."

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