They fulfilled a vow they’d made since they were kids: to be together always
Jeanette and Alexander Toczko spent almost their entire lives together. Starting when they were kids, they were inseparable, through military service, moving across the country, and starting a loving family. They never left each other’s side, even during their last days on Earth.
KGTV reports that throughout their marriage, the Toczkos said they wanted to die in bed, holding hands, wrapped in each other’s arms. And that’s exactly what they did. When their health faded, they were both taken into the same hospice room in California, their beds positioned next to one another.
Only days ago, the couple celebrated one last milestone. “[Our mom] kept asking us, ‘What is today, what is today?'” daughter Aimee Toczko-Cushman told the TV station. “We said it was June. She said it’s June 29, and June 29 is their 75th wedding anniversary.” The family brought balloons and flowers to cheer them on, and left the couple alone to share the touching moment.
Shortly after they left, Alexander took his final breaths, while the love of his life held on to him. “I went in there and told my mother he was gone,” Toczko-Cushman said. “She hugged him and she said, ‘See this is what you wanted. You died in my arms and I love you. I love you. Wait for me. I’ll be there soon.'”
Less than a day later, Jeanette passed away. He was 95, and she was 96.
“They both entered the pearly gates holding hands,” their son, Richard Toczko, said.
On their official obituary page, well-wishers have called their story a testament to the power of true love. “Thank you to Alexander and Jeanette for showing us that love can endure anything,” a worker at their hospice wrote.
Another looked to the future: “We will celebrate your life and loves as you walk together in heaven.”
