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Ron and Mary Cackett were married 70 years ago, but celebrating their wedding anniversary, on April 15, seemed impossible as they were separated by the Covid-19 lockdown measures. But love found a way.
Ron, aged 94, and Mary, 93, have lived in Evelyn Page Retirement Village in Orewa for around seven years – currently Ron (who served as a British Royal Navy gunner in World War II) is in an independent living apartment and Mary is in the village’s care facility.
Under the lockdown measures, no visitors are allowed in the care facility and Ron was missing Mary terribly. The couple has been separated only once before – when a stomach bug swept through Evelyn Page last year, putting Mary in hospital.
The staff at Evelyn Page came up with a solution so that the couple could see each other on their wedding anniversary. As well as decorating Mary’s room with balloons and decals, they moved Mary’s chair to face the garden so Ron could blow kisses to her through the window, while holding up their wedding photo as a reminder to Mary.
Now the connection is there, Ron has been talking to Mary every day through the window, with even the lockdown unable to truly separate them.
