A Jewish couple from Illinois, Isaac Vatkin, 91, and Teresa, 89, who had been married for 69 years have died on Saturday, holding hands.
Family members tell US media that Teresa who succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease died first. Isaac died 40 minutes later.
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Daily Herald citing family members said they took comfort in knowing they were together at the end. “You didn’t want to see them go,” said grandson William Vatkin, “but you couldn’t ask for anything more.”
“Their love for each other was so strong, they simply could not live without each other,” said daughter Clara Gesklin at the couple’s joint funeral.
The couple met in their native Argentina. They married and came to the U.S., raising three children. Isaac started a kosher meat distributor. Teresa was a manicurist. They had close, loving relationships with their children and grandchildren, According to Daily Herald
“They were always in love, literally to the end. To the last second,” said Rabbi Barry Schechter, who led the service at the Shalom Memorial Funeral Home in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights.
On Saturday, staff at the local Highland Park Hospital found Mr and Mrs Vatkin unresponsive and breathing shallowly on Saturday and chose to place their beds side by side.
Family members positioned their hands so they touched.
