The sweetest love stories are those that have stood the test of time. The memories created over a long period of time cannot be ignored. It’s one of the most beautiful things, getting to spend your life with the one person you love. It’s love stories like these that help us keep the hope alive and such is the story of Wolf Gottschalk, and his wife Anita, who have been married since 1954. But it’s tragic that it’s becoming difficult to be by each other’s side for them in their old age.
Ashley Bartyik, their granddaughter, shared their story on Facebook. Wolf, who is now 83 and his wife Anita (81), cannot stay together due to a lack of space at The Residence at Morgan Heights, Canada . What’s worse is Wolf Gottschalk suffers from dementia, and may forget his wife of 62 years if they stay apart too long. His lymphoma and congestive heart failure are a constant concern for his family. Due to lack of beds in the facility, the couple has to spend their time apart in their golden years, even though the family is doing all they can to get them to spend as much time together as possible in the past eight months. Fraser Health Authority has said nothing about the time it might take to get a vacant bed.
Married at the age of 19 and 21, Anita and Wolf have had a wonderful married life. With Wolf being diagnosed with cancer, there is an urgency to get them to spend as much time together as possible.
The family is doing all that they can so that they can spend time together. Ashley even quit her job so that she could help her mother take care of Anita. Apparently, Wolf waits by the window for the arrival of his wife. “My grandma can’t even kiss him goodnight now. He calls out her nickname, ‘little mouse’ for her when he sees her,” Ashley said.
Their son, Bill Gottschalk also had the same concerns. He said, “They need their time together. If either one of them were to pass away while they’re separated, it would be devastating for them and the family.” They tend to break down emotionally every time they meet now.
This is just one story that has come to light. There could be more who are suffering the pangs of separation due to a lack of space. We hope the government soon does something about it.