A husband and wife in Oxnard, California, who are in their 90s, celebrated their love in an unexpected place.
After Jesse Cirino, 91, was hospitalized recently for heart procedures, his wife, Mary Lou, 92, visited him as much as possible in his room at St. John’s Regional Medical Center, the Ventura County Star reported Saturday.
The couple has been married for 66 years and is still deeply in love, but when Mary Lou was admitted to the hospital suffering from abdominal pain, they were on separate floors while medical staff took care of them.
The difficult separation gave administrators an idea to ask if the two wanted to renew their wedding vows. They readily agreed to the proposal, and a ceremony occurred Thursday while the pair lay side by side in hospital beds.
An image shows the love birds holding hands, and the hospital said, “Please join us in celebrating the 66th anniversary of grateful patients Jesse and Marylou!”
Please join us in celebrating the 66th anniversary of grateful patients, Jesse and Marylou! Today, our staff helped make…
Posted by St. John's Regional Medical Center on Thursday, July 27, 2023
“Thank you to each member of the St. John’s family that made this incredible moment a reality,” the hospital continued.
The couple’s four daughters and two grandchildren were in attendance for the special moment, and afterward, everyone enjoyed some wedding cake.
“There was not a dry eye in the room,” noted Shannon Morris, a nurse manager who took part in the plans.
“Their family members bought the Gift Shop out of Casa Blanca Flowers and Nothing Bundt Cakes!” one social media user commented on the photo of the couple.
“We also made a balloon bouquet and sold a beautiful battery-operated candle for the event. It was a bit of happiness in a week that had some tragedies. Congratulations to this wonderful couple and their lovely family members!” the person added.
“Happy Anniversary to the sweetest couple I’ve ever known. Your love is something we all pray we can attain, and seeing you both, it certainly is contagious and possible!” another user replied.
Per the Star, the couple was reportedly discharged from the hospital on Friday.
Reasons couples renew vows include celebrating a significant anniversary, connecting a blended family, or simply taking time to celebrate the love a couple shares, according to Brides.com.
