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(CNN) – These teenage boyfriends who were inseparable during their 70 years of marriage died of COVID-19 while holding hands in an Ohio hospital, their family told CNN.
Dick Meek, 89, and Shirley Meek, 87, passed away within minutes of each other on January 16 at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, the family said.
“They never had to go through ’till death do us part,'” said his daughter Debbie Howell. “They never had to because they were together and we are very grateful,” he added.
The couple were scheduled to receive the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on January 19, the day their father turned 90. “They were this close,” said his daughter Vicci Harper.
A life of adventure
The couple from Coschcoton, Ohio, met in high school and have been together ever since. “You read about love at first sight and you think it’s not true,” the family said. “Well, it was love at first sight for my dad,” she added. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on December 22.
Pictures of Dick and Shirley at school.
Dick and Shirley, parents of five children, with 13 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren, lived a life filled with passion, the family said. Her adventures ranged from traveling the world to skydiving to appearing at special events for her grandchildren, even in their old age. Most importantly, they always made time to be together and had a fixed date at 3pm every day to toast each other, according to their obituary.
“They weren’t your typical 88s and 90s,” Debbie Howell told CNN. They were both very, very healthy and very vibrant people with all their faculties. Only they deteriorated very quickly, ”he explained.
His health rapidly deteriorated from covid-19
The couple tested positive for COVID-19 on December 26, after experiencing symptoms they believed to be from a cold. After several days of ups and downs, they went to an urgent care center to be tested for COVID-19. Since then his health has deteriorated, the family told CNN.
Dick was admitted to Coshocton Regional Medical Center on January 2 and Shirley two days later, the family explained. They both had difficulty breathing.
As their health condition deteriorated, it was necessary to transfer them to a second hospital. At the time, there was a possibility that the two would be transferred to different hospitals, but the staff helped advocate for both of them to be transferred to Riverside Methodist Hospital.
They had five children, 13 grandchildren, and 28 great-grandchildren.
“From January 8 to the end there were ups and downs,” Howell said. “There were days when we were really optimistic that they would survive, but their lungs kept failing more and more every day,” he explained.
‘We wanted them to be holding hands’
When the care team told the family that their parents only had a few days to live, they asked to be placed in the same room. “We didn’t want them to be apart because that was the most important thing in their lives, for them to be together,” Howell said.
“We wanted them to be holding hands. We wanted them to be together. We wanted his favorite music to play softly in the background, “he told CNN. And the hospital staff caring for these COVID-19 patients made it possible.
A nurse made a two-hour playlist of the couple’s favorite songs and played it as they held hands for the last time. Shirley was the first to pass away, and then Dick.
The family said they feel lucky that their parents were able to get together and thanked the hospital staff for helping them honor their love story.
Dick and Shirley in the hospital holding hands before they died.
«The nurse put my mother’s head on my father’s shoulder. And he came over and rubbed my dad’s shoulder and said, ‘Dick, you can go now. Shirley is waiting for you, ‘”Howell said. And in a matter of minutes, he was gone.
The family said they felt fortunate that their parents were able to pass hand in hand and thanked the hospital staff for helping them honor their love story.
According to Dick and Shirley’s obituary, a celebration of their lives will be held this summer. “The covid took their lives from us, so we ask everyone to take care of themselves,” the family said.
