You’ll Never Know
September 21, 2015 12:32 PM   Subscribe

A video has emerged of a man serenading his wife of 73 years on her deathbed with a song she sang to him as he went to fight in the Second World War.
posted by gman (25 comments total) 27 users marked this as a favorite
 
I could only make it to 1:23. Bless 'em both.
posted by kimberussell at 12:48 PM on September 21, 2015


A reaction was posted.
posted by pmbuko at 12:53 PM on September 21, 2015 [2 favorites]


I can't even. I'll have to watch it at home when I can bawl like a baby without having to take fistfuls of napkins from the table...
posted by sutt at 1:05 PM on September 21, 2015


I lost it at "He likes me!" Just completely lost it.
posted by bakerina at 1:26 PM on September 21, 2015 [2 favorites]


I'm not crying

you're crying
posted by Lemmy Caution at 1:35 PM on September 21, 2015 [4 favorites]


I can't watch this at work. I will at home, though! T_T
posted by xedrik at 1:37 PM on September 21, 2015


So lovely.
posted by Belle O'Cosity at 1:44 PM on September 21, 2015


Just the description, and I'm tearing up.
posted by The Card Cheat at 1:45 PM on September 21, 2015


Oh my, that was intense. Beautiful, but intense.
posted by greenhornet at 1:47 PM on September 21, 2015


I couldn't watch the whole thing. Yes, beautiful, but too intensely personal. IMO, I shouldn't see it.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 1:50 PM on September 21, 2015 [5 favorites]


Yep. Nope. I can't even. I made it a few seconds before I backed away and STILL had to wipe away some tear-leakage.
posted by Windigo at 1:51 PM on September 21, 2015


Beautiful. But I feel like a few seconds and I should leave them their moment together. Even the well-meaning grandchildren interpreting for him make me want to say that these two understand each other perfectly without interpretation or assistance.
posted by C.A.S. at 1:55 PM on September 21, 2015 [7 favorites]


oh for fukssakes... now I'm gonna have puffy eyes the rest of the day.
posted by 2N2222 at 2:13 PM on September 21, 2015


C.A.S. - totally agree. I clicked, and and a couple of seconds into it and I had that same feeling you get when you turn your head and see something very private and very quickly turn away. I almost said out loud "Oops, sorry there, I'll just leave you two alone."

I'm not sure what to think about this just being posted out there on the Internets.

This made me feel better:
After posting this video to Facebook, it began to go viral and all the outpouring of love lifted everyone's spirits... including Grandma's! Hospice eventually deemed her well enough to go back home to live out her remaining few days. As of this posting my beautiful Grandma Laura Virginia is still with us resting peacefully at home.

Then I saw this:
Jukin Media Verified (Original)
* For licensing / permission to use: Contact - licensing(at)jukinmediadotcom

posted by Muddler at 2:27 PM on September 21, 2015 [1 favorite]


I'm not crying for them - I'm crying for me that I'll never have that. Isn't that just the best love? A lifetime of having your partner at your side, knowing that they adore you as much as you adore them, that you'll always both be doing the best for and by each other.
posted by b33j at 2:30 PM on September 21, 2015 [7 favorites]


I can't even.

Indeed. I can't even read this description without tearing up.
posted by MartinWisse at 2:46 PM on September 21, 2015 [1 favorite]


It does feel terribly intrusive to watch, but that's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in my life. We should all be so lucky.
posted by LooseFilter at 3:41 PM on September 21, 2015


For my wife and I, should it reach that point and whichever is prone or upright, it will definitely be George Jones. Either or both Wine Colored Roses and The Right Left Hand. And a raising of the wee finger to each other, should the nurses allow...
posted by jim in austin at 3:49 PM on September 21, 2015


My wife of nearly 20 years and I are split up right now and we may not be getting the band back together, so to speak, so I've got plenty of reason to be cynical about love right now, but if you can watch this and not shed a tear, you've got a harder heart than I do.
posted by saulgoodman at 3:58 PM on September 21, 2015 [1 favorite]


But I feel like a few seconds and I should leave them their moment together.

I completely understand the feeling, but I found this upon reading the full video description:

At family gatherings, it was not uncommon for the two of them to sing this song together, each taking a verse and serenading the other. In fact, after fifty years of marriage, they renewed their vows and performed this song as a duet for the entire family at the reception.

This is clearly a couple with deep love for each other and a lifetime of not being embarrassed or too private to share that love publicly in front of their friends and family. Good on them for it. What an example to aspire to. Love like that isn't something you just fall into and happen to remain in, it's a lifetime of admirable work.

If they want to get on stage for the world and sing about it, I'll clap while I cry.
posted by allkindsoftime at 4:47 PM on September 21, 2015 [5 favorites]


Man, that's powerful.

I didn't even make it to the 15 second mark. I just broke down like a twig immediately. Took me a while to stop.

Also, now is a good time as any:
Hello, mefites! Long time lurker, first time poster, etc. etc. Looking forward to being part of all this.
posted by _Synesthesia_ at 5:36 PM on September 21, 2015 [4 favorites]


This is a deeply personal & intimate moment & I'm honored & humbled that Howard & Laura allowed us to share it with them. Their love for each other is just overwhelming.
posted by scalefree at 7:24 PM on September 21, 2015


I couldn't watch the whole thing. Yes, beautiful, but too intensely personal. IMO, I shouldn't see it.

I'm glad I'm not the only one (by a long shot, clearly) in the thread to feel this way. I'm torn between this notion of how beautiful the sentiment and act is and how little it should be shared with the world.

I don't, mind you, have any real right to say that. This isn't my family, these aren't my lives, and I don' t get a say in what they film or share online. It really is up to them, and they can do what they want.

But christ did I feel like a ghoul for watching the 30 seconds that I did. A sobbing ghoul, but a ghoul nonetheless.
posted by shmegegge at 9:15 PM on September 21, 2015 [1 favorite]


Immediately I thought of Carol Tyler's beautiful trilogy of graphic novels.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 9:18 PM on September 21, 2015 [1 favorite]


Oh man, that's beautiful and heartbreaking. Thanks for posting this, gman.
posted by homunculus at 6:45 PM on September 30, 2015


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