Looking back at recent posts, I realized that I’ve been neglecting the second-in-line theme of my blog – love. I’ve focused my writing efforts quite a bit on creativity, so now I’ve found the perfect story to bring me back to el amor. I’ve actually had the link to this article saved in my e-mail inbox for a few weeks, so I’ve finally found some time to share this tear-jerking story.
I’m a huge fan of The Notebook (I know, typical girl). So if you’re familiar with the flick, you know that Noah and Allie move on to the afterlife together wrapped in each others arms in bed. Ideally, that’s the way to go…simultaneous with your soul mate so neither person has to bear the pain of living alone. This near exact phenomenon occurred in a teensy town called Milan, Mich. Jo Mathis from The Ann Arbor News wrote this touching article about Emil and Genevieve Schultz, who passed away within hours of each other two months after celebrating their 73rd anniversary.
To sum the story up, the couple met and fell in love at the tender ages of 12 and 14. Emil and Genevieve were extremely close with their family members and placed a high importance on setting a good example for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Fast forward 70 some years, and Emil is lying in a hospital bed with no hope of recovery. On the other hand, Genevieve is perfectly healthy at the age of 92. So it was a shock when the couple’s son found Genevieve dead of a heart attack. Their children believe she simply couldn’t cope with the thought of losing her husband, who peacefully died the next night at the hospital at the age of 94. Emil and Genevieve’s caskets were separated by two heart-shaped wreaths and they are buried right next to each other at a Milan cemetery.
Now, maybe it’s grim that I’m writing about death, but this story is a beautiful testament to the unexplainable powers of love. I wish every person on the face of this earth could find a love as real and rare as Emil and Genevieve’s. This story really affected me because it’s not like I was reading about it in a typical Nicholas Spark book. It’s a true tale from a city not far from my own. And while fictional stories about love make readers sigh and think “I want this in my life,” stories like the one about Emil and Genevieve prove that blissful love truly is attainable.
And with that, I’ve just secured my place on the “Biggest Sap” list. 🙂