On
one of my many
flights I worked on during my time as an Air Stewardess I came across
an amazing couple who truly were an inspiration to any of us looking
for love at any age and proof that there is love out there for
everyone irrelevant of age. This couple who I am going to call John
and Mary were travelling from Germany to the UK and then had a
connection to the USA.
On
landing at
Heathrow, they had to wait for wheelchair assistance as their
mobility was not as active as in previous years. We had to wait quite
a while on the ground and watched all the other passengers disembark,
which left John and Mary sitting alone on the flight waiting for
their assistance. During this time I looked after them, keeping them
company, which turned out to be the most heartfelt conversation I had
heard in a very long time, that brought me to tears by the time they
left.
John
and Mary were
in their early 90s and met during the 2nd World war years and when I
met them on the flight Mary explained to me that they had just got
married, John was quietly sitting in a few rows behind and suddenly
overhearing our conversation, John shouted yes !!!!!!! and she’s
turned me down twice and it took a third time but I am an incredible
lucky man, Mary gave John a massive hug “I am the lucky one she
replied”. Mary is German and John is American, it was against
the rules back then for these two nationalities to have a
relationship they told me, Mary was a nurse and met John in Germany
during the war they secretly saw each other and secretly got engaged
madly in love. But their relationship took its toll with rules and
regulations, and they had to part when the war ended, they had
already broken up and went back to their birth countries and both
married someone else, had children and continued enjoying a very
fulfilled life.
Mary’s
husband
died and she for whatever reason went into a care home in Germany.
John and his wife who I will call Ann lived a long life together and
near to her death she asked John to promise not to be alone and love
again. Ann knew his first love was Mary and how much he deeply loved
her, and she knew he never forgot her. Ann on her death bed asked
John to promise her he would look for Mary knowing that she was his
first love and if she was still alive and if the situation allowed to
do something about it. Ann was an incredible woman. This had never
been spoken about for many years, so John was taken aback by his wife
Ann's wish, he had never spoken to Mary since they parted so had no
knowledge of her life or whether she was still alive. But this was
John’s wife Ann's wish on her death bed which although he
thought madness after all these years still agreed. Johns’ wife
died and after a period of mourning the family all got together and
asked John what he thought about doing something about his Ann's
wishes.
After
a lot of
doubt, he decided he owed it to himself and the wishes of his late
wife to start research. The family rallied and intense research was
done to find Mary. They found Mary was still alive and living in
Germany in a home after her husband died and it was her choice to go
into a home and not through any ill health. The family flew with John
from America to Germany to find Mary (by this time I’m in
tears) !!!! John found Mary and they were instantly connected again.
John did not waste time and asked her to marry him and arranged for
her to be removed from the home and make a life with him.
First
she refused to
say yes to marriage, but did agree to get to know him again, they
both agreed there was only one deep real love in their lives and that
was each other and although they moved on and married and created
loving families and had so much respect and love for their new
partners nothing ever would match what they had during the war years
and Johns wife always knew this which was explained to Mary so
everything was out in the open. Between Mary’s family and
Johns, they were helped to get together and now live a life in
America and Germany. They travel between the two countries enjoying
life irrelevant of their reduced mobility. They prove that life is
worth living and they have overcome all the changes in their lives,
and they have turned a full circle back in each other’s arms.
When
I met this
amazing couple on the flight they had just got married finally after
5 years of reconnecting. Mary told me it was beyond her wildest
dreams and told me as I was a recently divorced woman to never give
up on love. I was so moved by their story that I was reduced to tears
after my flight and it showed me that through sheer determination
there is love there for all of us irrelevant of age. I hope this
story has moved you all as it did me.
I am a creative
new nonfiction writer living in Dorset UK. I have travelled all over
the world and met some amazing people, seen some fantastic places,
experienced so many blessed opportunities in life throughout my life
journey. I have written notes, diaried and written in journals for
many years of all my experiences and this is the first time I have
sent any of my work. All my writing is based on real people and
real-life experiences. This story captivated my attention when
meeting one of the most inspirational, positive couple I have ever
come across on my travels.
I have now
decided it’s time to share my amazing experiences with the
world.
