An elderly Florida man proved true love in the time of COVID-19 when he insisted on giving his wife one final embrace in his last visit. He died on Saturday, nearly a month after his wife passed away from the virus.

This Florida man is 90-year-old Sam Reck. He also died of COVID-19 complications after his deathbed reunion with his wife JoAnn, 86.

Sam and JoAnn had been together for nearly 30 years. Their COVID-19 story touched many people, making them the Florida man and wife likened to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Reck died at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, the same place where his wife had passed away. His son-in-law shared the news of his death in a Facebook post, said ABC Action News.

According to New York Post, COVID-19 left Sam to have distant visits only in Florida Presbyterian Homes, the nursing home that JoAnn lived in. Prior to that, the husband and wife met at eight-hour intervals every day.

They had to look out for all sorts of pandemic-related restrictions that did not allow them to be in close contact for a long time.

No Regrets

Holly Reck, one of his children, said in a USA Today report that her father most likely caught the virus when he visited JoAnn.

She said her father knew about the risks of going into the hospital, and his family knew he couldn't be stopped from seeing his wife for what could've been the last time.

 "He would have gotten himself there one way or the other to see her. I do believe that" she said.

Scott, Hooper, JoAnn Reck's son from her first marriage, said this is true.

According to Hooper, when the elderly man tested positive of COVID-19, he asked if he regretted going into the hospital. Without a pause, the old man replied, "Not one second."

Sam Reck was happy he had the chance to hold his wife's hand one more time, no matter what happens.

The story of Sam and JoAnn Reck had received national attention when a May story from The Ledger detailed the anguish that came with their forced separation due to the pandemic.

Love's Painful Isolation

Since they needed to stay away from each other due to the pandemic, the nursing home's staff thought of a way for the couple to see each other regularly.

Sam would stay on a balcony outside his second-floor apartment while his wife sat in a dining area below. They did this thrice a week, and, as JoAnn had dementia, she failed to understand why she can no longer spend her days with Sam.

Holly Reck thinks the couple went through so much emotional stress for the three months that they were not allowed to see or touch each other.

Final Embrace

When JoAnn neared death, the hospital let her have visitors. Sam jumped on the opportunity and visited his wife in full protective gear: a gown, two face masks, and surgical gloves. She died hours later.

Sam had a meaningful conversation with his daughter a few days before he died. In their FaceTime conversation, he was still alert and coherent.

He told Holly that he had lived a good life. He did not expect to reach the age of 90 "...He let me know how much he loved all of us, and I let him know how much I loved him," his daughter narrated.

The couple was admitted to the same room, with Sam coming into the same room that his wife took her final breaths.

Sam died with people letting him know he is loved and remembered, just as he made his wife feel when he made the much-needed hospital visit.

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