At weddings, people vow to live together through illness and in health. And some end up doing so too. However, most can only dream of dying together.
And this dream has come true – though in death – for American couple Floreen and Ed Hale who died only 36 hours apart, after being married for 60 years.
Ed, 83, though seriously ill with kidney failure, held his 82-year-old wife’s hand until the very end in New York, British news agency Mirror has reported.
About five and a half years ago, Ed began to have various health issues with kidney problems, heart attacks and diabetes.
When both of them fell gravely ill, the family had a dilemma in not knowing whose hospital to go to because they were 35 miles apart.
However, on February 6, despite his illness, Ed expressed his wish at 4am; he wanted to see his wife.
The hospitals tried their best and soon after he made a good enough rebound in health, he was taken by ambulance to see his wife.
On February 7, Floreen was breathing her last breaths, after suffering from heart failure before he passed away on February 8.
"He was a gentleman right up to the end, waiting for her to go first," the Mirror has quoted Renee Hirsh, their daughter.
The story soon spread through social media, with an image of the couple holding hands transcending hospital bed boundaries in their last few hours together.
According to the Mirror, a joint funeral was held for the couple on Valentine’s Day.
The news agency quoted Lisa Giattino, their niece saying: "People moved mountains to make it happen. It was nothing short of divine intervention."
