Love, the real one, survives everything, even the afterlife: when the soul mate disappears, it’s as if a
piece of oneself was missing and the person so loved will never be «replaced» by someone else. Mr Ted
Richardson, a 93-year-old widower who, after the death of his beloved wife, chose to visit her grave six
days a week with a bouquet of flowers to honor her for all she did for him, knows it very well. Ted, from
Waikiki, Hawaii, USA, met the love of his life when he was just 16: he came home and told his dad he
saw the girl whom he wanted to marry.
Florence, his beloved wife’s first name, agreed to go out with Ted and await his return during World War
II. Before he left for the front, Florence gave him a photo of herself: «She was beautiful. I didn’t mind
looking at her all the time,» Ted said. After military service was completed, the two immediately got
married and began a life of love and laughter together. Ted got a job as a teacher, while his wife worked
as a school librarian.
The two had a son, Ted Jr, and were happily married for 72 years, until Florence passed away in 2013.
Since that sad day, Ted quickly began to develop a routine that would see him continue to work. to
honour. So he began visiting his wife’s grave at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, six days a
week. Every morning at 6:30 a.m. Ted is there with his wife, having taken three buses to get there, in the
wind, the rain, the scorching sun or the snow. The widower spends most of his time taking care of
Florence’s grave: he makes sure the lawn around her is well mowed, brings her fresh flowers, shines the
tombstone and speaks to her: «I consider this my way of thanking her for all the love and help she gave
me during our years of marriage,” he commented.
Ted, marked each visit to his late wife on the calendar, with impressive numbers: in 2018, he had made
1,300 trips! The widower has also organized a plan for when he too will join his beloved in paradise: he
has asked his parish to bring flowers to Florence’s grave once a month. Her story made the rounds on
social media and many netizens were moved by such deep, unconditional and boundless love. A truly
exemplary way to honor a loved one.
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