ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — What began as a simple, neighborly gesture on a Friday afternoon blossomed into an unlikely friendship that captured the hearts of millions across the globe.

Now, the Albany community is mourning the loss of 94-year-old Air Force veteran Bob—affectionately known to millions online as the “Internet Grandpa”—who passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026.

An Unlikely Beginning

The relationship between Marvin Thomas Jr. and Bob started when Thomas was driving home on a Friday, a local trash pickup day. He saw his elderly neighbor struggling to roll his trash can up the driveway, taking frequent breaks.

“I just decided to stop and roll the trash can up for him,” Thomas said. “Before I left, I just told him, ‘If you ever need anything, I live right down the street. Just come let me know.’”

Bob took those words to heart. Not long after, he left a note written on a paper plate on Thomas’s door, asking for help with some leaky plumbing. Thomas called up a friend, Jeremy Rossi, and they fixed Bob’s toilet. From that day on, checking in on Bob became a daily ritual.

The Viral Ring Camera Video

The friendship became a global sensation after Thomas shared a video from his Ring doorbell camera. Bob had walked down the street to return the favor, checking on Thomas while he was at work. When Thomas answered through the camera, Bob asked if he had a microwave.

“I had just moved into the house, and it didn’t come with a microwave,” Thomas recalled. “Two days later, he brought me one anyway. I still have it in the garage.”

Thomas posted the interaction online just because it touched him. He never expected the overwhelming response. One video garnered more than 2.5 million views, 160,000 likes, and thousands of shares. People began sending letters to a P.O. Box set up for Bob from as far away as California, Ohio, and Tennessee.

“His motto was ‘Retire from work, not life,’” Thomas said. “He loved reading those letters. He was just an outstanding individual.”

Bob’s Battle With Dementia

Behind Bob’s outgoing personality and remarkable independence, he was also privately battling dementia.

Thomas said Bob continued to move around exceptionally well for his age, but his condition eventually began affecting his ability to navigate and recognize where he was.

On a recent Friday, after rolling his trash can down to the street, Bob became disoriented.

He got into his car and drove for hours, eventually ending up about three hours away in Gainesville, Florida.

The situation was especially concerning because Bob was not supposed to be making that trip alone.

The VA hospital in Gainesville eventually contacted Thomas and another close neighbor, Becky, who had also helped care for Bob.

Thomas immediately drove to Gainesville to be with him.

He found Bob confused and stayed with him at the hospital for about two hours.

Thomas also brought Bob’s vehicle back to Albany.

Looking back, Thomas said he had no idea that visit would be their last.

“I didn’t know that was going to be the last time I was going to be sitting with him,” Thomas said.

Bob’s condition rapidly declined after that.

He died Aug. 11 at the age of 94.

For Thomas, the circumstances surrounding Bob’s final days have made their friendship even more meaningful.

What began with helping a neighbor with a trash can ultimately meant Bob was not alone when he was confused and in the hospital.

A Sudden Goodbye

The VA Hospital in Gainesville contacted Thomas and Becky, another close neighbor who helped care for Bob. Thomas immediately drove down, pulled Bob’s car back to Albany, and spent two hours sitting with him at the hospital.

“I didn’t know that was going to be the last time I was going to be sitting with him,” Thomas said. Bob’s condition rapidly declined, and he passed away on Aug. 11.

Rallied for a Proper Homegoing

With Bob’s family unable to cover the sudden costs of transporting his body back to Albany and funding a funeral, Thomas has stepped up once again. He launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise the necessary funds to bring the veteran home to his final resting place.

“We want to give him a proper homegoing,” Thomas said. “I’m just looking after him like I would look after anybody, or how I would hope someone would look after me or my family. One way or another, we’re going to figure it out.”

Thomas hopes that Bob’s legacy continues to inspire people to connect with those around them.

“Just be nice. Be kind. That’s it,” Thomas said. “You never know unless you ask, and it’s just that simple and just that easy.”

Where is his family?

Many people have asked, “Where is Mr. Bob’s family?”

For months, Thomas has been trying to locate any other relatives of Bob. His son and wife are both deceased, and his son is buried in Albany.

Bob had already purchased his burial plot and had his funeral arrangements covered. The GoFundMe is specifically helping cover the cost of transporting his body from Gainesville, Florida, back to Albany for his final resting place.

Mr. Bob’s family is now mourning his loss. He is survived by three children. Some of his remaining family members are unable to travel to Albany because of financial and medical circumstances.

That means Marvin and the Albany community have become an important part of the story of Mr. Bob’s final years — a reminder that family can sometimes be found in unexpected places.

A Friendship That Became a Legacy

Thomas hopes Bob’s story continues to encourage people to connect with the people around them — especially neighbors who may otherwise go unnoticed.

The friendship showed how something as small as helping someone with a trash can, can become something much bigger.

“Just be nice. Be kind. That’s it,” Thomas said. “You never know unless you ask, and it’s just that simple and just that easy.”

For millions of people who followed their friendship online, Bob may have been the “Internet Grandpa.”

But for Thomas, he was something much more personal: a neighbor who became a friend.

And Thomas said he plans to carry that friendship and Bob’s message with him.

What started with a trash can became a friendship seen by millions online. But for Marvin, it was never about the views.

It was about being there for his neighbor.

And in the end, Mr. Bob was not alone.

Click here to donate to the GoFundMe campaign to help Mr. Bob reach his final resting place.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and X. For more south Georgia news, download the WALB News app and add WALB as a preferred source on Google.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.