An elderly couple who have been married for 60 years reunited after spending 215 days apart amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, ABC News reports.
Joseph Loreth and his wife, Eve, shared their first hug on October 15, seven months after the COVID-19 outbreak reached pandemic-level.
In those months, the couple had only been able to communicate on the phone and through a few window visits. On Thursday, however, the pair reunited at their assisted living facility in Brandon, Florida.
Check out the moment the couple who have been married for 60 years finally reunite after more than 200 days apart:The heartwarming reunion was filmed by employees at the facility, Rosecastle at Delaney Creek.
It was later shared on the facility's Facebook page, with the caption:
"Married 60 years...apart for 215 days...but finally #reunited! We got to witness these two resident love birds see and hug each other for the first time since the pandemic. Get your tissues out!
"Joseph was in rehab when we had the privilege of adding his wife, Eve to our Rosecastle at Delaney Creek family. Due to the pandemic, they weren’t yet able to see each other.
"With just phone calls and a few window visits - they persevered. After graduating from rehabilitation, Joseph was finally able to be reunited with Eve (one of our newest residents) and the rest of our #Rosecastle family."
"I sure missed you," 80-year-old Joseph said in the touching video, clearly overwhelmed by the situation. "After 60 years, I gotta do something right."
When Eve moved into the facility, Joseph had undergone surgery before being placed in rehabilitation. The couple had not been allowed to meet until he had made a full recovery.
Clary Abreu, the life enrichment coordinator at Rosecastle, was in charge of the pair's reunion. She said there had been a lot of excitement and anticipation in the lead-up to the long-awaited reunion.
"[Eve] was so excited that she paced probably all night and she sat out in the dining room waiting for him," Abreu told World News Tonight.
Abreu added: "He was just so emotional it was so beautiful to see how much he loved his wife."
