Man, 90, Dies Happy Even After Contracting Coronavirus from Dying Wife

A 90-year-old Florida man had no regrets even after he contracted the coronavirus from his dying wife. Almost one month after, he died with the same cause.

The couple's family shared an emotional video of Sam and JoAnn Reck. It has recently made headlines. Sam said his last goodbye to his 86-year-old wife before she succumbed to COVID-19 on July 12.

All worth the risk

USA Today reported that Sam died almost one month after JoAnn did. It also noted that the husband likely got the virus from his wife. According to Scott Hooper, JoAnn's son from her first marriage, Sam knew he was taking a risk when he visited his wife but said that the risk was worth it.

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Hooper wrote in a Facebook post that he asked Sam if he regretted his visit to the hospital after testing positive with the deadly virus. Without thinking, Sam told Hooper that he did not regret even one second because no matter what happens, he was very happy to have the opportunity to say goodbye and hold his wife's hands one more time.

Romeo and Juliet

Nearly a year ago, JoAnn was diagnosed with dementia. She had been living in a nursing home separately from her husband. Sam had been living in a building next door to JoAnn's nursing home. He found a way to keep in touch with his wife by waving from his apartment balcony while practicing social distancing.

Their community has nicknamed them "Romeo and Juliet" for their practice. However, last month, JoAnn showed symptoms of COVID-19, so their distant visits came to a halt. She got tested positive at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center.

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Exempted from the rule

Although hospitals generally prohibit visitors amid the pandemic, there are exemptions for life and death situations. Sam wore full protective gear in the emotional video to see and be with his wife before she died. During that time, the couple had been separated for months already.

Sam told USA Today that he might have looked ominous in all protective gear, but he did that to hold his wife's hands to tell her how much he loved her.

Holly Reck, Sam's daughter, has one last conversation with her dad before he died on Saturday. Her dad told her that he had lived a good life and that he did not expect to live until 90.

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The most important thing for Sam is being able to care for his family and let them know how much he loved them. Holly told her dad how much she loved and appreciated everything that he had done for her over the years.

The outlet reported that the cremated remains of Sam and JoAnn would be interred together at Florida Presbyterian Homes.