Photo of 96-Year-Old Husband Feeding His Wife with Alzheimer's Is Going Viral
Perhaps the most special thing about seeing an older married couple show each other love and affection is the fact that they've had to make it last - through time, through the ups and downs of life and too often, through illness.
An anonymous contributor to Love What Matters - a Facebook account that shares those "you're gonna need a tissue" types of stories - posted a story that represents just that. This person went to their local Wendy's and was enjoying a double-cheeseburger when they noticed an elderly couple at a table close by. "In between bites, I saw this gentleman feeding his wife," the post reads. "My whole life I've yearned for a love that strong."
The writer of the post needed to know more. When the man stood up to throw away his and his wife's food, the writer asked how long they'd been together. The man, laughing, asked them to guess. "After a few guesses he told me he was 96 and his wife is 93. [She] is suffering from Alzheimer's," they later wrote. "This is their date night."
The post on Love What Matters has been shared over 26,500 times and has 138,000 likes. The best part of the post, besides the couple it lionizes, is the comments section, which is 4,600 comments strong. Hundreds of people have gathered there to share similar stories of their parents or loved ones. Some stories involve Alzheimer's - which shows how pervasive this devastating disease truly is - but others don't. Some are just about life-long love.
"Getting all the way to the end of the line with the person you started out with is one of the most glorious things on the face of this earth," the post reads. "To share a deep love and bond that grows as we age, that is a beautiful thing."
The post makes no mention of whether or not the man's wife still recognizes him - but, considering that the pair will celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary this June, we have a feeling that it wouldn't make the slightest bit of difference. For this couple, despite age, illness and Alzheimer's, it's still about the love.
[h/t Scary Mommy]
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