COVID-19 Survivor Couple Celebrates Their 70th Wedding Anniversary

• Couple Steve,92, and Marie, 89, both contracted the COVID-19 and survived from it. 
• After beating the virus, they then celebrated life on their 70th wedding anniversary. 
• Their children are so proud of them for showing how to keep a long and happy married life by their example.

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A senior couple from Pittsburgh recently celebrated their 70th anniversary after contracting and surviving COVID-19. 

Marie, 89, and Steve Orlando, 92, vowed to love each other forever on Sept. 2, 1950. They met a year prior when Steve and Marie’s brother were both members of the same football team. 

Initially, they planned to celebrate their anniversary with their 6 children, 15 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren. However, the novel coronavirus came and all their plans flew off the window. 

Since March, the lovely couple have spent their time isolating in their home for thirty years, which is close to four of their children and their families.

“We were stuck in the house,” Marie told GMA. “Our daughters would go shopping for us and cook for us and leave things [at the door].”

In July, Marie had to visit the hospital for her heart valve replacement surgery. One of her daughters, Janet Bartley, accompanied her. Later on, they both tested positive of the virus and so was Steve and Janet’s family. 

“It was our worst fear that they would get it,” Janet said. “And then we all did.”

Steve was confined to the hospital for two days because of dehydration but other than that, the whole family did great with only mild symptoms and recovered fast. They were so grateful for it because as it was said, people in their 60’s and above are ones most vulnerable. 

“Thank God we got through it for our age,” Marie said. “I just feel sorry for a lot of people our age who didn’t make it.”

After one month waiting from their anniversary date while still recovering from COVID-19, the Orlandos were finally able to celebrate the special event in their lives last Saturday. 

Their children were so proud of them  for showing how to live a long and happy married life by their example. 

“They showed me what the true meaning of love is,” says Janet, 36 years married. “They were wonderful role models.”

The Orlandos said the foundation of their everlasting love is good health and good family. 

“We lived a clean life, a good life,” Steve said.

Source: Good Morning America