A husband and wife from New Hampshire died within seconds of one another due to coronavirus while holding hands.
William and Carol Stewart of Salem, NH, met as youngsters and were married for over four decades.
“They’ve known each other since they were four, been together 45 years, married 44 years,” their daughter Mellisa Noke told WMUR.
Noke says their entire family tested positive for coronavirus, which resulted in her parents being hospitalized at Parkland Medical Center in Derry. Carole, 69, was on life support, as was 73-year-old William, who experienced kidney, renal, and lung failure during his final days.
While they were hospitalized, family members were unable to visit them, but on December 30, the couple was “wheeled past family and put together in a room,” per WMUR.
“Placed both beds side-by-side, placing my mother’s hand into my father’s hand,” Noke told the outlet. “As soon as they touched hands, my father took his last breath, and then my mother 10 seconds later.”
Noke spoke to how close her parents were.
“They were the true definition of soulmates because it’s like having love birds. You can’t just buy one: you’ve got to buy both,” she explained.
During her conversation with WMUR, Noke was asked what she would say to her parents.
“It’s an honor to be your daughter, and I love you and I will see you again someday,” she said, fighting back the tears.
She shared that her mother and father were not vaccinated and urged others to get inoculated, according to WMUR.
William and Carol leave behind three daughters and seven grandchildren, according to their obituaries. William worked as a machinist for much of his life and was employed by a local grocery store later in life. He enjoyed drop line fishing with family members and being near the ocean. Carol worked in electronics for years and later became a home health aid. She loved to be with her family and liked to sunbathe and play Yahtzee.
The family has established a Go Fund Me “to assist with their financial burden.”