A husband and wife passed away just minutes apart after 66 years of a happy marriage.
As reported by Daily Mail Australia, Maureen Hollis and Kevin Gallagher committed their lives to each other back in 1954 when Maureen promised her husband to go wherever he goes.
In the following decades, the New Zealand couple raised eight children and continued to strengthen their marriage.
Two decades ago, as the couple aged, Maureen and Kevin began making plans for their retirement. Eventually, they decided to split their property and create a special unit fit for the elderly on their land.
Once the couple could no longer live independently, their daughter, Trish, who lives nearby, decided to take on the role of her parents’ full-time carer.
During their final moments, 88-year-old Maureen and 89-year-old Kevin were both suffering from severe illnesses. While Maureen was diagnosed with dementia and blood pressure complications, her husband suffered from problems related to his lungs.
Back in February 2020, one of the couple’s sons, Craig, moved in with his parents after his father suffered a fall and broke his leg.
Later the same year, in October, the couple passed away on the same day and just 30 minutes apart. According to the family, Maureen and Kevin were unconscious during the final few hours of their lives.
“It’s such a beautiful story. Obviously, we’re processing our grief but knowing they’re both at peace together has really helped us through it. It was such a bittersweet situation after watching them suffer for a whole year,” Craig said in an interview with Daily Mail Australia.
“Mum took her last breaths and I remember then opening the curtains as the sun rose in Dad’s room – we sat with both of them as they died.”
Recalling the time he spent bonding with his father after moving in with his parents, Craig revealed that Kevin told him about the promise Maureen had made to him 66 years ago.
“We were just chatting about things and talking about our lives. He actually told me that she had said to him ‘where you go, I go’. I feel really fortunate he told me that – it truly was a blessing,” Craig added.
“It’s a hard pill to swallow when you lose your parents but I can’t think of a better way for them to go: together, at home, at the same time and of natural causes.”
As Mr. Gallagher also revealed, his parents’ secret to a happy marriage was sharing the load, whereas Kevin financially provided for his family while his wife ran the household.
Our thoughts are with the family.
What are your thoughts on this story? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to SHARE this post with your family and friends. For more news and stories, follow us on Facebook!
Replaced!