Nothing can stop a 90-year-old man from cycling all the way to meet the love of his life. While he admits his wife’s health has been deteriorating, it doesn’t change his undying love for her and his determination to see her every day.
Nothing is more uplifting and reassuring than reading authentic love tales. In a world where separation and divorces are rampant, it’s nice to hear stories of enduring love, which shows that it is still possible to live happily with your loved one until the very end.
Peter Burkhardt, a 90-year-old man in the Netherlands, has kept his commitment to stay with his wife in sickness and health since they married over six decades ago. Not even a 10.6-mile commute to and from his home in Diepenveen to his wife’s nursing home in Apeldoorn would stop him from seeing her.
Peter Burkhardt doesn’t mind if it’s a blistering hot summer day or a snowy frigid winter day – he’ll ride his bike to visit his wife. It’s an hour to two-hour commute, with the wind often against him, but no matter the circumstances, he makes the trip to be with her for a couple of hours.
Clara, his wife, has dementia and was admitted to a nursing facility to receive the care she required. Sadly, the only nursing facility that would accept her was more than ten miles away from home, which would have bothered anybody else than Peter.
Peter has done all he can to be with her every day for the past seven years. While he used to alternate taking a car and his regular bike, he had to stop driving after his driver’s license was disapproved.
Nowadays, he rides a tricycle after suffering a fall due to the wet leaves on the road. At the bicycle shop, he was given an undercarriage with an additional wheel, which he currently uses. The trike had been driven over 24,000 kilometres, all to see Clara.
Seeing Clara is a breath of fresh air for Peter. He mentions how she offers him a warm embrace every now and then when he comes to see. Even when Clara is having a rough day, Peter wants to be with her.
“My motivation is in Apeldoorn. I want to see her, hear her voice. When I enter the nursing home I immediately know where she is. She is no longer the same as she was, but I’m still in love with her. Every time I go home, I think it’s a sad moment.”, he said.
When questioned if he believes Clara understands about his daily commute, he says she doesn’t since it’s outside her area of knowledge. Considering this, Peter appreciates her infrequent embraces and presence.
Even at the age of 90, he intends to continue seeing Clara. While his mobility has slowed down, he’s optimistic he’ll be able to continue cycling, and on days when the weather is bad or when he has minor injuries, he can count on his children to take him.
When it comes to their parents’ continuing love, one of their sons, Wounter Burkhardt, believes that seeing each other keeps them alive. He also hopes that his father’s perseverance to be with the love of his life every day inspires other people to keep the love going no matter what happens.
Indeed, the narrative has touched everyone who has watched it. They, too, recounted heartwarming love tales, particularly those involving the elderly.
It’s a horrible truth for many elderly people to be separated from their spouses in order to obtain the care they require. Despite the distance, it’s touching to see how their love remains the same and even grows stronger as days go by.
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