True Love! Elderly couple married for 71 years die within 4 minutes of each other

An elderly couple who were married for more than 70 years have died within minutes of each other - while three miles apart.

Wilf Russell, 93, died at a care home after battling dementia , which sadly resulted in him no longer recognising his wife.

And wife Vera, 91, passed away at a nearby hospital having become ill since her husband stopped remembering her.

Frail Wilf took his final breath at Magna Care Home in Wigston, Leicestershire at 6.50am on Wednesday.

And without knowing her beloved husband had died, Vera was pronounced dead four minutes later at Leicester Royal Infirmiry.


Their granddaughter Stephanie Welch told Leicester Mercury :

"My grandad was diagnosed with dementia a year ago and he had to go into the care home a couple of months back."My nan went to see him recently and he didn't recognise her at all - her health started deteriorating from that day.

"I went to visit her at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Sunday and she opened her eyes and asked me where Wilf was."The last thing she said to me was, 'We're a right pair, aren't we?'He died at 6.50am and she died at 6.54am without being told about Wilf.
"I think she was waiting for him to go. She was broken-hearted."

 Wilf met Vera when he was 18 and she was 16 and they got engaged before he went to North Africa and Italy with the RAF during the Second World War.

Stephanie said they were always a very close couple who adored their family.She said: "

Vera very much spoke for them as a couple and Wilf went along with whatever she said. Maybe that's why they lasted so long!

"They had a lot in common and never spent a night apart throughout their entire marriage until Wilf had to move into the care home.