Couple Married 72 Years Dies Holding Hands... The Heart goes on...

Remember that lovely film The Notebook?

Here's a real life story no less poignant, even more heartwarming - because of it's truth.

Couple Married 72 Years Dies Holding Hands

DES MOINES, Iowa -- An Iowa couple who was married for 72 years died one hour apart last week in the hospital as they held hands.

~*~ Meet Gordon and Norma a couple who spent nearly their whole lives together ~*~

From High School right up to the final breath of life it was always Gordon and Norma.

4 children, hardly a night spent apart.

A love story, a life story of great love, unending endurance and dedication. A heartbreaking story, yet in a very touching and beautiful way.

At the intersection of Highway 30 and Jessup Avenue just west of Marshalltown, state troopers said Gordon pulled in front of an oncoming car. The Iowa State Patrol crash report said the other driver attempted to avoid the crash but was unable to stop in time.

In the intensive care unit of Marshalltown's hospital, nurses knew not to separate Gordon and Norma.

Gordon died at 3:38 p.m. holding hands with his wife as the family they built surrounded them.

"It was really strange, they were holding hands, and dad stopped breathing but I couldn't figure out what was going on because the heart monitor was still going," said Dennis Yeager.

"But we were like, he isn't breathing. How does he still have a heart beat? The nurse checked and said that's because they were holding hands and it's going through them. Her heart was beating through him and picking it up."

...

"They were still getting her heartbeat through him," said Donna Sheets.

...

At 4:38 p.m., exactly one hour after Gordon died, Norma passed too.

...

At their funeral on Monday, Norma and Gordon held hands in their casket.

...

Family said they will be cremated and their ashes mixed together.

'Love can touch us one time - and last for a life time - and never let go until we're gone...'

Original information and pictures: KCCI8

peace

reply to post by silo13

Wow!
What are we all missing out on in this life?

reply to post by silo13


Sigh i dont want even think about death, thats such a sad story and little sweet in it, on how they meet and got married.

Thank you, Silo.
That was beautiful.
If only we all were so lucky as these two.

reply to post by dethduck

Yes. It makes me rethink the whole structure of marriage and divorce these days. But I don't want to go there in the thread lol! I'd rather the message just gives hope to those who are looking for love, and have it, reasons to hold onto it and (IMO) how love does...go on...

peace

what a beautiful and elusive story of happily ever after

i would say about 9 out of 10 of every one i know that's ever been married, has been thru divorce at least once.

what are the odds of dying TOGETHER? wow.

After a long time together, this is a great way to go.

My mother was devastated when my father died, she was zombie-like for nearly years.

The last few years she's better, but still mourning every day.

reply to post by ignant

what a beautiful and elusive story of happily ever after

Yes, almost makes you believe in happy endings doesn't it.

It also sheds new truth to popular movies like - The Notebook



Oh gawd, I'm crying again...

peace

reply to post by notsosunny

My mother was devastated when my father died, she was zombie-like for nearly years.

It is devastating, I can tell you. I hope your mother finds peace. She might not find another 'love of her life' - but - I hope she, and you, can find peace.

Sincerely

Sorry, gonna put the scientific spin on this..

if two heart cells touch, they sync. That is how the heart works. If couples sleep all night cuddling, their heartbeats sync, which can cause the person with a faster heartrate to be a little more drowsy.

SIDS has found to drop in babies who cosleep with parents. The thought is that SIDS is caused by lung or heart failure, if the baby is with the mother and their heartbeats sync, it is thought that the mother keeps the heart beating or jumpstarts it by this very connection.

Sweet story none the less.

I was getting ready to post to mention that movie The Notebook. anyone who's watched the end of it, see's that this story is --just like-- it. Aaaamazing.

What is it with these World War II Era couples, who not only.....stayed married, but stay IN LOVE?!!

All I hear about now days, actually, since the '70's, is, --like--, "I'm a guy who's 49 and still handsome, my wife is a frumpy nag because I won't sit and talk with her, and the 20 yr old blonde assistant has a crush on me. so it's time to move on. The kids will eventually understand."

To h**l with that.

reply to post by nixie_nox

Ssshhhhh! *wink*

I know I know I know - but this is just - love magic here!

No, thank you for the information, though I have to admit even knowing - do you think it's possible to do so just through the touch of a hand?

That's some powerful nature going on there.

Thanks tons for the post!

peace

reply to post by Saucerwench

All I hear about now days, actually, since the '70's, is, --like--, "I'm a guy who's 49 and still handsome, my wife is a frumpy nag because I won't sit and talk with her, and the 20 yr old blonde assistant has a crush on me. so it's time to move on. The kids will eventually understand."

To h**l with that.

I love the way you put this...I bust out laughing. You should be in the writers forums on some collaborative writing! (U2U me if you've got the time and want some info.)...

Thanks for your post - I loved it!

peace

Fair play to them, it's lovely to think that you can find someone and spend your entire life, utterly in love with them.

However, I think the 'picking it up' thing wasn't her heart beating through him...it was the ECG picking up her heart beat's electrical impulse...nothing quite so romantic.

Anyway...a nice heart warming story! :-)

reply to post by silo13


Well the fact that two managed to live long enough to spend 74 years together, to me is the miracle here.
A lot of people don't even live that long.

Originally posted by Raivan31
reply to post by silo13

 

Wow!
What are we all missing out on in this life?

Something great. I married my high school sweetheart 16 years ago and we have been together ever since (24yrs of knowing her). We have two kids Claire 5 and Merrek 3 and they are great. I still can remember the very first moment I saw her. I will be there for her until until one of us sees our dying day. I could not even imagine my life without her in it. She is the lifeforce of my existance, it is thoughts of her that drive me through the tough times that life can throw at you.
I often believe that our American egos have been nurtured to the point of not being able to unconditionally love anyone other than one's own child. This in turn creates divorce variables that most can not overcome or even stand the thought of facing. Our selfishness and lack of loyalties in times of temptations has stood in the way of a lot of great relationships. Peace to you all and learn to love, it is a wonderful thing..........

**quote from my dad- "everything is what you make of it." **

Originally posted by Saucerwench
I was getting ready to post to mention that movie The Notebook. anyone who's watched the end of it, see's that this story is --just like-- it. Aaaamazing.

What is it with these World War II Era couples, who not only.....stayed married, but stay IN LOVE?!!

All I hear about now days, actually, since the '70's, is, --like--, "I'm a guy who's 49 and still handsome, my wife is a frumpy nag because I won't sit and talk with her, and the 20 yr old blonde assistant has a crush on me. so it's time to move on. The kids will eventually understand."

To h**l with that.

They did not have jewish controlled media pumping their heads full of the stuff that get put out there today. Watch MTV for an hour and you will see the end result of what has been happening to our youth over the last few decades. Back in the day family and family values were promoted, now they are mocked in clever ways to retain deniabilty lowered detection.

Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful and heart warming story of love. This is a good example of people coming together and loving each other to the end.....very inspiring indeed!!!

Agreed, this is such a lovely story. To be in love for so long and to be COMPLETELY in love. With the statistics the way they are with divorce/separation, it's nice to hear a story like that, IMO. My husband and I have been married 17 years and I truly do love him as much today as I did when I married him. Rare.

Anyway, the feeling-the-heartbeat-through-her is kind of speculative, yes. My bet is the guy had a pacemaker. Often the pacemaker will continue to pump for a bit after breathing has stopped. Happened to my grandfather.

reply to post by silo13


This story reminds me of a song that always tugs at my heart strings.

www.youtube.com...