Just call them the new “Golden Girls.” Except this time all four women are high school friends. In a quiet corner of California, within the welcoming embrace of Atria Senior Living, their version of the beloved sitcom plays out, albeit a bit differently. Here, Joan Harris, Elsie Webb, Sylvia Crane, and Mary Grace Tassone, were reunited after 75 years since their high school days at Mount Saint Mary Academy, but like Blanche, Rose, Dorothy and Sophia, they also share a bond as resilient as time itself.

After graduating in the 1950s from their small, private school, the four friends embarked on separate paths, each venturing separately into the world, going onto have careers and raise families, including 12 children between them. Yet, fate brought them back to each other again at the retirement home. “I think friendship is really important and having old friends is wonderful,” Crane said.

There are so many of us that are gone and it’s very important to me to know that I still have these three wonderful women around me.”

For Crane, the move to Atria in July marked a poignant reunion with her old friends. “When I came into the dining room, all three of them were there. It was a nice feeling,” she said, smiling. Harris, who had moved into the facility in May, found solace in the familiar face of Tassone, recognizing her amidst the new surroundings. “They were friendly faces in a strange place, friendly faces that I knew who they were, and I knew their backgrounds,” she shared. “I didn’t have to explain anything that happened in my life, they already knew it.”

Joan Harris, Elsie Webb, Sylvia Crane and Mary Grace Tassone have been living at Atria Senior Living in Grass Valley, California for the past year. Photo by CBS

Crane said they enjoy talking about the fun times they had when they were younger. “We talk about different things from high school,” she laughed. “Like, we had a little, old nun… and she made root beer every night. And every noon time, she would bring the root beer out of the cellar, and ring a little bell and we all had our quarter for our mug of root beer.”

It’s nice to know somebody here. It really is. Somebody who knows you a little bit and what you’ve been through,” Tassone said.

Tassone, the anchor of their group, cherishes the moments spent with her dear friends, finding comfort in their shared history.  Now she said, the women meet up for different activities, like movie nights and musical performances. And each day, they meet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Together in a place that can feel lonely without friends. Their living arrangement, reminiscent of the iconic quartet from “The Golden Girls,” serves as a poignant reminder of the beauty found in companionship and camaraderie.

“The Golden Girls” tv show.

Inspired by the hit sitcom, they affectionately refer to themselves as the “Silver Girls,” embracing their golden years with grace and laughter. The women know how lucky they are to have each other. “Hang on to the friends you have because you don’t know how long they are going to be here,” Crane said. Watch below for a look at these long-time friends!

Sources: Daily Mail | Good Morning America