A 90-year-old Florida man dressed in full personal protective equipment (PPE) so he could say goodbye to his wife for 30 years who is suffering from COVID-19. 

Sam and JoAnn Reck
(Photo : Twitter)

Sam Reck, the 90-year-old Lakeland man from Florida, risked his health and wore protective gear so he could say his final goodbyes. Sam and JoAnn Reck have been married for 30 years, and they were only separated during the pandemic. 

Sam Reck spent the last four months apart from his wife as the state ordered a ban on visitors at the nursing home to avoid virus contagion. It can be remembered that family members and friends can only visit their loved ones if they are in a critically-ill or dying condition. 

After four months of being separated, they were reunited at a hospital in Lakeland shortly before JoAnn Reck died. According to a report published in ABC Tampa Bay, JoAnn Reck was diagnosed with dementia about a year ago.

Scott Hooper, JoAnn's son from her first husband, said that her mother contracted the virus last week and developed fever, cough, and fatigue. Moreover, JoAnn Reck belongs to one of the most vulnerable groups for COVID-19.

Scott Hooper also wore protective gear so that he can also say goodbye to his dying 86-year-old mother. His wife recorded when his stepdad said goodbye and the last "I love you," The room was filled with tears when Sam bid his most painful "I love you."

Hooper said that he can still remember when everyone was crying in the room. He also saw his wife crying so hard while recording that she could barely hold the camera. He also added that it was a very emotional moment. 

The couple was popularly known as "Romeo and Juliet." Scott Hooper also shared that his mother lived in a skilled nursing area while his stepdad lived in a nearby apartment. The 90-year-old Florida man and his wife would schedule distant visits during the pandemic.

Sam Reck would stay outside his second-floor apartment balcony, then his wife JoAnn would talk to him from a garden below. Despite the circumstances they faced, their age and the global pandemic never stopped them from showing their love for each other. 

Meanwhile, Hooper was very saddened by how the virus hit his mother. He said that it hit his mother so hard and so fast. Doctors told him that they could put a ventilator to his mother. However, it could be a painful procedure for her and could only worsen her mother's quality of life. 

What made it more painful for her mother was her dementia. He said that those who have a family member suffering from dementia and COVID-19 could relate to what he experienced. People with dementia usually don't remember anyone or know the situation they are in. 

They don't want their mother to suffer anymore. The family made their toughest and most challenging decision. They talked about it for a long time, and they decided to let their mother undergo palliative care. 

Check these out!