96-Year-Old Rocket Scientist Hires Matchmaker to Find His "Final Love"

A 96-year-old Manhattan resident has hired a professional matchmaker to help him find his "final love." The senior has already gone on several lunch dates with women in their 70s and 80s, but so far, none have managed to spark a romantic connection, The New York Post reports.

"Well, they didn’t generate any heavy sparks," Sol Rosenblatt, a retired aerospace scientist and inventor living in Battery Park City, confessed in an interview with The Post. "Let’s put it this way: right now, I’m on an interesting shopping expedition."

The East New York native—a rocket scientist who worked with NASA on the historic Apollo space program—was widowed in 2023 after 69 years of happy marriage. Now ready to meet his next soulmate, he turned to New York matchmaker Brigitte Weil.

"On a human level, this story melted my heart. But from a professional standpoint, I thought, 'This is practically a mission impossible,'" Weil shares. "However, the moment I met Sol in person, I knew I would do everything in my power to find him a partner to grow old with. Because he himself isn't old at all," she adds with a laugh.

Rosenblatt has a clear picture of the woman he is searching for. "She has to be easy on the eyes. And she needs to have at least a basic understanding of science."

The sprightly senior, who has just finished writing his autobiography, has spent his life developing medical instruments for microsurgery and holds 14 patents—with several more inventions currently in the pipeline. This autumn, his alma mater, the City College of New York, will award him its prestigious Presidential Medal. Past recipients of the honor include Nelson Mandela, Coretta Scott King, Colin Powell, and Hillary Clinton.

And while an educated partner is a priority, Sol believes other traits are just as vital.

"He needs someone who is warm, empathetic, kind, and generous—to match his own personality. And she definitely needs to be affectionate, because Sol himself is a very tender and romantic man," matchmaker Brigitte Weil explains.

The main obstacle they have encountered on these dates is a misalignment of goals. Most women his age are looking for a companion rather than a romantic partner. "They’d love company to go to the movies or a museum... But they are absolutely not interested in anything more," Sol laments.

Brigitte Weil confirms that the landscape is challenging. "Not a single woman I’ve introduced to Sol has said, 'I don't want to see him again.' On the contrary, they want to spend time together, but on their own terms. They all have established lives and routines, and they're perfectly content just having a gentleman to take them to dinner or the theater. But Sol didn't hire me to find a walking buddy. He is looking for a full romantic relationship, which would likely mean living together."

Rosenblatt is currently staying at a luxury senior living community, but as soon as he finds love, he plans to purchase an apartment in Battery Park City so they can move in together and stroll around the neighborhood.

This remarkable member of the centenarian-adjacent generation still confidently zips around on a three-wheeled electric bicycle, though he notes this isn't a mandatory skill for his future partner.

Rosenblatt married his late wife Vicky, an Egyptian native, just four months after they met.

"She was a pianist and spoke five languages. She was incredible at connecting with all kinds of people. I will never be able to replace her," he reminisces.

Sol has three adult children whom he didn't consult before launching his agency search. "But they support me in whatever I want," he adds with a sly smile. "Of course, I’ve left them a lot of money in my inheritance, so that helps, too."