A real-life ‘Notebook’ couple who met at 17 before sharing a lifelong love story died side-by-side within hours of each other aged 93.
Childhood sweethearts Máire and Gerry Ryan were born just one day apart in Tipperary and enjoyed an eight-decade-long romance.
They lived in the same nursing home after Máire developed Alzheimer’s and Gerry fell ill.
In their final hours, they had their beds wheeled together so they could hold hands.
Childhood sweethearts Máire and Gerry Ryan, a real-life ‘Notebook’ couple who met at 17 before sharing a lifelong love story, died side-by-side within hours of each other aged 93
The Notebook stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as a couple who share a lifelong romance before McAdams’ character develops dementia
Máire and Gerry’s heartwarming story has been compared to hit Hollywood film The Notebook, which stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as a couple who share a lifelong romance before McAdams’ character develops dementia.
Máire and Gerry passed away peacefully on Monday surrounded by staff and nurses at the Curragh Lawn Nursing Home in Co Kildare, reports RSVP Live.
And staff at the care home revealed the strength of the couple’s love.
Staff worker Sarrita, said: ‘Gerry used to hold her hand all the time and remind her of the olden times and their life.
‘He used to orientate her to the present every single day. He would sit and tell her poems, he loved Irish poetry, and he used to sing to her at night. I have never seen anything like that.
‘I am in the nursing home 13 years and we never saw anything like them. He was so dedicated to her.’
Máire and Gerry tied the knot nine years after meeting when Gerry’s Army career brought him to Newbridge, Co Kildare.
After leaving the military Gerry went on to complete a Ph.D. with Máire’s help.
The film follows the couple’s story from when they met to when the wife is in the grips of dementia
A staff member at Máire and Gerry’s care home said: ‘Gerry used to hold her hand all the time and remind her of the olden times and their life’‘
Following a successful career as a teacher at Holy Family Secondary School in Newbridge, tragically, Máire was diagnosed with a severe form of Alzheimer’s.
Devoted Gerry became his wife’s full-time carer and spent years looking after her at their home.
But he too fell ill, developing severe arthritis which left him unable to walk.
The couple both went to Curragh Lawn Nursing Home.
Two weeks ago, Gerry’s health deteriorated and he was transferred to hospital. But care home staff said Máire struggled to cope without him and she went downhill.
She stopped communicating, eating and kept looking for her husband.
When they realized there was nothing more they could do, the hospital sent Gerry back to the care home for palliative care.
And, the day before he died, the loving husband asked to be moved so he could hold his wife’s hand one last time.
Máire passed away at 3.45am and Gerry passed away at 5.20pm on the same day.
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