After Backlash, Man Evicting 98-Year-Old Mother Relents

The Connecticut man who famously served an eviction notice to his mother on her 98th birthday has withdrawn the lawsuit a day before its scheduled court trial, allowing her to remain in the home where she has been living for almost 60 years.

Peter Kantorowski, 71, initially wanted his mother out of the house and in a nursing home because he believed it was in her "best interests." But after the press and public got wind of the eviction notice, he became the target of multiple hate messages and even death threats -- prompting Kantorowski to reconsider his actions.

"I've done everything possible that I could do for her, and I'm portrayed like I started this process," Kantorowski (pictured below) told TV station CBS-2 in New York. "[But] I love my mother."

Peter Kantorowski's attorney echoes his client's sentiments, telling The Washington Postthat his client was simply concerned about her living conditions and her level of care and supervision. The TV station adds that the feud between Kantorowski and his brother Jack, who also lives in the home with their mother, played heavily in the decision to evict her, as his brother was continually "taking advantage of her," according to Kantorowski.

Jack Kantorowski's son defended his uncle's actions, saying that the intent of the eviction notice was to get his father, and not his grandmother, out of the house. ("His drinking... is out of control," Peter Kantorowski alleges of his brother.)

Peter Kantorowski became the owner of the home in Bridgeport, Conn., in 2005 when his mother transferred ownership to him but retained the right to live there, in what's known as a quitclaim. He moved to evict his mother six years later, in December 2011, with the court date set for March 2.

Mary's attorney Richard Bortolot Jr. says that the 98-year-old is "very relieved and very pleased that she does not have to go to trial," and adds, "it was the right thing to do."