It is said that true love never dies.
We all dream about finding such love in our lives; of finding our soulmate.
Some search their entire lives looking for their other half – others are lucky enough to find the person who makes their life complete immediately.
So it was for Floyd and Violet Hartwig.
They were married in 1947 and went on to enjoy each other’s company for an incredible 67 years. That in itself is amazing, of course, but it was their last moments of life that really speak for their epic bond.
After reading about their story which hit the news in 2018, I got more convinced than ever that not only does true love genuinely exist, but there is someone out there that we are meant to spend our time on earth with.
Floyd and Violet Hartwig met in grammar school and started a romance that would stretch for their entire lives. When World War II broke out, Floyd served in the US Navy. During that period, the couple wrote hundreds of letters to each other.
Below is an excerpt from one of said letters, dated May 1947:
‘Hi honey, just a few lines from this lonely blue sailor of yours. Miss you darling and so in love with you. … Honey, I’ll sure be glad when I get out of this.
‘It sure isn’t for me, though at one time I thought the Navy was pretty swell. That was before I fell in love with the sweetest girl in the world.”
After the end of World War II, Floyd returned home and the couple bought a farm in California. They went on to have three children with each other.
Sadly, a few years ago Violet developed dementia. She was cared for by Floyd at the couple’s home, but things took a turn for the worst when Floyd was diagnosed with kidney disease. Their children and grandchildren were shocked – but at the same time, the bond between Floyd and Violet was strengthened even further. After more than 67 years of marriage, they fell asleep in each other’s arms for the last time.
When 90-year-old Floyd died in the hospital, he did so with 89-year-old Violet holding his hand. Merely an hour after his passing, Violet, too, left the world.
The pair were surrounded by their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. The family they left behind were naturally devastated to lose both of them in such a short space of time, but they could take comfort in knowing that this was what Floyd and Violet wanted. Apparently, they had even told their children that they wanted to die at home while they were together.
“They had a special connection, and I think that the connection just became stronger and stronger. Especially during the last months of their lives,” says daughter Donna Scharton, in a video that was made to pay tribute to the couple’s love story.
Here you can see that fantastic video:
Too many people today live alone, without loved ones. Please share this article to spread hope!
