Inside NYC’s anti-loneliness club where seniors share their life stories — including getting told off by Princess Margaret and flirting with Colin Powell

What do a fashion feud with Princess Margaret and rumors of young love with Colin Powell have in common? They’ve both become legendary tales at the Life Story Club.

Founded in 2019, the Brooklyn-based nonprofit organizes free virtual and in-person gatherings for older adults across the city, giving them a space to share their experiences, build community and combat the loneliness that sometimes comes with aging — which can put them at higher risk for health issues like depression, heart disease and dementia.

“This social club becomes their friends, their family, their lifeline,” Stephanie Yanes, a facilitator for both English and Spanish-language groups, told The Post.

Earlier this month, about 30 members and facilitators of the Life Story Club gathered for lunch, conversation and camaraderie at Jahn’s Since 1897 in Jackson Heights, Queens.

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When peach met pink

At 89, Ragaa Mussalli’s stories are pure gold — and every now and then, they come with a dash of royalty. 

The spirited widow from Woodside, Queens, has been a fixture at the Life Story Club for five years, faithfully dialing in every Friday afternoon.

“This keeps me alive,” Mussalli told The Post. “I wish there were two Fridays in a week.”

Though she has a daughter, three sons and grandchildren, Mussalli said their busy lives make it hard to connect as often as she’d like. Once an avid neighborhood explorer, age and mobility issues have slowed her down — but her desire to stay connected remains strong.

At the Life Story Club, Mussalli said the conversations feel different from those she has with family or personal aides.

“I feel like I belong. There is no barrier around what to say or when to stop talking,” she said. “It lifts our spirits. It makes us feel less alone.”

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Each week, younger facilitators guide the meetings with unique prompts that encourage members to share — whether it’s about a standout day at work, a cherished family memory or a time they got into mischief as kids.

Mussalli has shared hundreds of tales from her remarkable life that spans the globe — from her childhood in Cairo to assisting her late husband with home births in Sudan to her eventual immigration to the US. 

“Of course I wasn’t sorry at all. I was very happy. I was young then, I had a good figure.”

Ragaa Mussalli

But there’s one tale that always steals the show: her unforgettable encounter with Princess Margaret in 1970s England.

At the time, Mussalli was a medical social worker at Westminster Hospital in London, where her husband worked as an OB/GYN. Every year, a select group of hospital employees were invited to dinner with the royal family. When their invitation arrived, Mussalli’s husband surprised her with a lavish new gown.

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And then came the royal nightmare.

As the guests filed in, a member of the royal family was designated to greet them — and that year, it was Margaret. The moment their eyes met, Mussalli knew instantly that she had made a grave mistake.

“My dress was pink, hers was peach, but they had the same design, same materials and same pearls,” Mussalli recalled. “She wanted to kill me.”

Mussalli remembers her knees shaking as she curtsied before the princess, whose eyes scanned her up and down — clearly unimpressed.

“Where did you get your frock?” Margaret demanded.

Mussalli, ever honest, named a department store on Oxford Street.

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“They are not supposed to show the public these designs,” the princess hissed. 

“I almost wet myself,” Mussalli said, laughing at the memory. 

She apologized profusely, but Mussalli admits: “Of course I wasn’t sorry at all. I was very happy. I was young then, I had a good figure.”

Stoops, salutes and Colin Powell

While Mussalli is a socialite, Ina Alfattah describes herself as “borderline bah-humbug.”

The 76-year-old didn’t go searching for the Life Story Club — it came to her, thanks to a nudge from her doctor, who figured she could use a little more social spark in her life.

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That referral came through the StoryRX Project, an innovative partnership between the Life Story Club and three hospital systems. Through the program, doctors are encouraged to “socially prescribe” the club to older adults who may be struggling with loneliness or isolation. 

And it’s working. As of 2024, the program has generated 140 referrals — and 108 seniors, like Alfattah, have been matched with weekly meetings. That’s nearly 25% of Life Story Club’s members. 

The group also partners with nonprofits like Citymeals on Wheels, community-based retirement organizations and the NYC Housing Authority to reach more seniors in need of social connection and community.

“Looking back now, I would probably say that I had a crush on him, but I was suppressed back then.”

Ina Alfattah

Six months in, even Alfattah is surprised by how much she enjoys her Wednesday sessions. “We only have about six people, but I look forward to hearing something great from each and every one of them,” she said.

But don’t let the small group size fool you. Word travels fast — and in one session, Alfattah found herself at the center of some playful gossip after sharing a story from her youth that raised a few eyebrows. 

“I got myself into a bit of trouble,” she said with a laugh.

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It was the early 1960s, and 16-year-old Ina Alfattah was the new kid on the block in the South Bronx, fresh off a move from Washington, DC. The neighborhood was filled with longtime residents — including one who would eventually make history.

“Colin Powell was my mentor for years,” Alfattah recalled, a smile tugging at her lips as she remembered the young man who would go on to become the first African American US Secretary of State.

But back then, he was just a handsome twentysomething who knew his way around the street. “He took me under his wing, told me who not to associate with,” she said. 

In those days, Alfatta was involved with the Civil Air Patrol, and Powell, already in the ROTC, took it upon himself to help whip her into shape — or at least, he tried his best.

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“I’m left-right challenged,” she admitted, chuckling. “I always ended up turning the wrong way and facing the person next to me. It was so embarrassing.”

But despite the occasional missteps, Powell patiently worked with her, helping perfect her salutes and pivots. The two spent countless hours sitting on stoops, practicing military moves, laughing and chatting late into the evening. 

“When he would come over, if I was already sitting out there with the girls, they would all take off so that it was just the two of us,” Alfattah said. “We weren’t an item, but we were friends.”

But as she told the story to her Life Story Club, her new friends couldn’t resist teasing her, convinced she and Powell had been secretly going steady. 

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Eventually, Powell and Alfattah lost touch as life pulled them in different directions. But when he passed away in 2021 at the age of 84, Alfattah was taken aback by the wave of emotion that hit her. 

For someone she hadn’t spoken to in over 20 years, the loss was deep. “Our time together was more special to me than I realized,” Alfattah said.

“This community spurs different kinds of conversations that might not happen one-on-one or with a family member.”

Dr. Jennifer Wong

“Looking back now, I would probably say that I had a crush on him, but I was suppressed back then. I come from a time when we didn’t show our feelings,” she said. “I just liked being with him.”

Fighting loneliness, saving lives

National surveys suggest that more than a third of US adults aged 50 to 80 are lonely, and nearly as many feel cut off from the world around them. 

And it’s not just sad — it’s dangerous.

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The health effects of loneliness are on par with stroke, dementia, depression, anxiety and even early death. 

Uncle Sam is footing the bill, too. Loneliness costs the US a whopping $6.7 billion a year in added Medicare expenses.

“There is so much that goes into why we should be combating this and why we should be creating belonging and community for older adults,” said Dr. Jennifer Wong, a psychologist and interim executive director of the Life Story Club.

The group has over 400 members across 29 clubs citywide, spanning all five boroughs. Meetings are held via Zoom, but less tech-savvy participants can dial in or receive a call from a facilitator. Several times a year, members gather for in-person events, like lunch at Jahn’s and even karaoke.

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The Life Story Club has meetings that take place in English, Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin, with additional language offerings on the horizon. 

“It makes a big difference being able to communicate in the language that feels most comfortable to them,” said Yanes, who facilitates both English and Spanish-language clubs.

“For Latinos, having common ground is amazing because the stories are a little different — like how they came to New York or the US — and there’s a sense of camaraderie and understanding, so you don’t have to overexplain yourself,” she added. 

The Life Story Club also has a group dedicated solely to LGBTQ-identifying older adults, which is led by a young queer facilitator. 

In internal surveys, 95% of members said they feel supported by their Life Story Club. Ninety-two percent said it gives them a true sense of community. And 93% said their mood has improved since joining.

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Some stories shared in the club are hilarious, others heartbreaking — all unforgettable. The group setting also often helps people open up in ways they never expected.

“The community is so safe that members can tell some of the stories that might have been shameful at one point in time to talk about,” Wong said. “But now, they’ve built enough trust and love and respect for each other to share things that maybe haven’t been before.”

In one recent session, Wong said a woman shared her experience of adopting children more than 40 years ago. Her revelation sparked a wider discussion about what it truly means to be a mother.

“This community spurs different kinds of conversations that might not happen one-on-one or with a family member,” Wong said. 

And the stories don’t stop when the meetings end.

Each participant gets a chance to record one or more of their tales. The audio is transcribed and added to the Life Story Library — a growing digital archive where members, their loved ones and the public can listen in.