Roman Blank knew he was gay when he was just five years old, but hid his sexuality for nine decades.
Blank—who was married for 60 years and has two children, five grandchildren and one great grandchild—decided to come out last year when he was 95.
A year on, the Holocaust survivor has spoken to Youtuber Wavey Davey about his experience.
"I just told them plain, that I was born, and was all my life, gay. And I told them the whole tragedy of my life, and they understood what happened to me. Can you imagine, 90 years, to be in the closet?
In a heartwarming moment—Blank is asked whether he was interested in finding a boyfriend or companion.
Blank uses one hand to cover his face as though telling a secret and emphatically says: “Yes!”
When given the options of Marlon Brando, Ronald Reagan or Zac Efron to describe his ideal ‘type’, Blank cheekily remarks, “I don’t care!”
"I don't look at the face, I look at the heart. Somebody to lean against, somebody who feels the heart ticking, and nobody can do that unless you let them.
"I'll be very honest about it. I really don't need any either physical or mental connections. But I want to. I want to go to sleep, have somebody close to me, not for any other reason, but to be sure that someone cares.
Blank’s grandson Brandon Gross is currently finishing a film that tells the story of his grandparents' marriage.
“As Holocaust survivors who tragically lost family members, their lives have been filled with darkness. But somehow, their remarkable spirits allowed them to persevere and “succeed” in America,” Gross says.
