If you’re a hopeless romantic, you probably dream of finding the kind of love that will last your whole life. Well, that’s exactly what John Henderson and his wife Charlotte have found. With a combined age of 211 years, they’re officially the world’s oldest couple.
- They’re celebrating their 80th anniversary next month. In December, John and Charlotte, who are 106 and 105 years old respectively, will celebrate 80 years of marriage. What an achievement! In a world where more than half of marriages can’t make it past the first decade (or anywhere close), these two have managed eight of them together and show no signs of slowing down.
- They met all the way back in 1934. John and Charlotte were both students at the University of Texas where Charlotte was studying to become a teacher and John was killing it on the school’s football team. They soon fell in love and in 1939, they got married, spending only $7 on a hotel room for their honeymoon. (It was the Great Depression, after all.)
- They’re both still incredibly healthy. Despite their advanced age, both John and Charlotte are still doing remarkably well. John still exercises every day and the pair live together at the Longhorn Village senior community living home associated with UT. There, they can live it up and enjoy one another’s company without a care in the world. Basically, they’re living the life.
- What’s their secret? According to CNN, John says that the secret to a long and happy life is to “live life in moderation and be cordial to your spouse.” That sounds like pretty good advice to me. After all, unhappy relationships can be the cause of so much stress and upset, but showing a little courtesy and kindness to your S.O. no matter how long you’ve been together can go a long way in keeping your connection strong. Long live the world’s oldest couple!
