A 96-year-old California man who died at his Halloween-themed birthday party after dancing to “Stayin’ Alive” has been identified as a “local legend” in West Los Angeles.
TikTok’s viral “Vito” is actually 96-year-old Vito Justin Martinaitis, who partied with his young friends at his Santa Monica home moments before passing away last month.
Caleb Hunter, 34, who told The Post that Martinaitis named him one of his “greatest best friends” in the days before he died, said he was well-known in Venice and was the “life of the party” even in his advanced age.
“He was not a normal 96-year-old,” Hunter said, noting he went out multiple times a week and even jumped his fence a few weeks before his dєatᩚh.
Martinaitis lived alone, Hunter said, since his wife died a few years ago. Hunter believed he was in good physical health before his sudden dєatᩚh.
Martinaitis was originally from Chicago and worked as an architect before settling in California, his friend said.
The older man was a neighbor of one of Hunter’s friends and made fast pals with him and his much younger friendship group. Martinaitis said the younger friend group made him “feel so alive,” according to Hunter.
“He was just our best friend,” he said. “We hung out with him at least a couple of times a week, either doing dinner, hanging out at his place or inviting him over, and then we would go to Mass every Sunday at 5:30. He was an amazing person.”
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Hunter and LA baker Eden Malinoff decided to throw him an early 97th birthday party on Oct. 29 at his Santa Monica home.
A few dozen people showed up. Martinaitis arrived in good spirits, drank some Spanish brandy, and enjoyed the attention, according to Hunter.
The party sang “Happy Birthday” to the old man, and Hunter played ’70s disco music for him.
Martinaitis then had his viral moment to the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” tune, which garnered millions of views on social media.
Commenters exclaimed about his vitality, his tragic dєatᩚh after the Bee Gees’ song, and some pointed the finger at Malinoff for posting the video, thinking it was in poor taste. She has since taken down the video after receiving a wave of hate, including dєatᩚh threats.
Malinoff baked him a red wine chocolate cake in his honor that said on the top, “Like Fine Wine.”
Later in the party, Martinaitis was bopping along with the 1978 hit “Rasputin” before the friends frantically stopped the party to check on the man.
Hunter declined to share specific details about his dєatᩚh, but said he called 911 immediately to report the medical emergency.
Hunter revealed a potential cause of dєatᩚh — Martinaitis had “heart issues” and was deemed a bad candidate for a necessary procedure in the months prior. Hunter believed he was in good physical health otherwise.
As for the viral video, the old man’s most famous moment in his long life came just minutes before his dєatᩚh. “He went out with a bang,” Hunter said.
His friends found his rapid posthumous fame fitting. “It was the viral video of the week worldwide during the U.S. election,” Hunter added. “I was like, what a legend, you know?”
