Nursing homes are usually the site of nothing wilder than a bingo night. Nothing spicier than tapioca is known to occur; however, two senior citizens in Sacramento, California, proved that you’re never too old for true love. And that it’s never too late to tie the knot.
Instead of hosting a boy scout bake sale like a normal day, one NorCal senior living facility hosted what was perhaps the most unexpected event in June 2022: a wedding.
With elderly attendants in masks and balloons tacked to the walls, The Village at Heritage Park Senior Living Community held a ceremony for two of its residents. The couple had met at the facility and, after only a few short months of dating, decided now was as good a time as ever. The Village was all too happy to assist.
Given their average age, these North Natomas residents are more accustomed to navigating loss than they are celebrating life. However, their neighbors’ unexpected union showed the community a new kind of joy during a challenging time.
With a cake to cut and a dramatic kiss, the wedding brought much needed joy to The Village, which given the pandemic hasn’t had much to dress up for. Until this.
The couple seemed as surprised with the outcome of the day as their guests and neighbors. Both Carl Hammer and Reva Truitt had already been married, each for nearly seventy years and were only recently widowed. At ninety-seven and ninety-five-years old, neither saw romance on the horizon; however, fate had other plans when the two ended up in nearby rooms at The Village.
“We didn’t know it was going to happen but we found each other and the good lord brought us together,” Hammer said, recalling how he met his now-wife.
He and Reva brought new meaning to the ol’ adage about the-girl-next-door, having been brought together in part by their proximity. The couple had known each other for years prior to dating, but things didn’t quite spark until recently.
“It’s been about 5 months that we’ve been dating,” the new Mrs. Hammer told reporters, recalling their relatively whirlwind romance. Her groom chimed in, joking, “We’re 2 doors apart. And we both had back doors.”
So what finally pushed the boat into the water for the longtime friends? Hammer beamed, “She finally said…” he then wagged his finger in a come-over-here gesture, causing his wife to laugh. An obvious jokester, Hammer was constantly bringing a smile to Truitt’s face as they cut their wedding cake and toured the room to greet their guests.
In a black suit and a blue dress, the couple then jumped in a tricycle fitting with tin can noisemakers, streamers, and a large “Just Married” sign pinned to the back to take a lap of the carpool circle before returning home.
Commenting on their perhaps unlikely romance, Hammer said sweetly, “It happens when two sparks fire- you got a bonfire… That’s what we got.” His wife agreed, “It’s wonderful.”
The two seemed giddy that even at their stage in life they could still find love and then, in front of their friends and family, profess it to the world. Bringing together their two households to now include six children, sixteen grandchildren, and thirty-two great grandchildren, and even a handful of great-great grandchildren.
What’s an unbelievable love story from your family? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family, and any fellow newlyweds!
