Niles husband visits love of his life every day — even though she doesn't remember him
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – It's a love story that began almost 60 years ago when Bruce Meixelberger first tried to ask Kathie Aultman out on a date.
'She ended up walking me out to my car and says, 'Maybe if you ask me next week, you know, maybe we can go out.' I took that as a 'We're going out next week,'' Bruce said.
Next month will be Bruce and Kathie's anniversary, only she doesn't remember as much anymore.
Kathie suffers from Alzheimer's and lives at Brookdale Austintown, a local memory care facility.
''I'm gonna be your husband today. You know how long we've been married?' And I'll tell her 56 years and she'll go, 'Fixty-six years?'' Bruce laughed.
Kathie's been there the last two years and with the exception of a couple of weeks when he was hospitalized himself, Bruce visits the love of his life every single day.
After proposing to Kathie all those years ago, Bruce joined the Navy and completed four tours of duty but he found ways to get home to see her.
'I would thumb home. It took me eight to ten hours, which is really pretty good, but also had to thumb back,' he said.
These days, Bruce — who lives in Niles — spends three or four hours a day with Kathie, helping her eat.
He gives a lot of credit to the staff at Brookdale for their care of Kathie and the other residents.
Bruce says workers will tell him he's a wonderful husband for coming to visit.
'I feel like I have no choice,' he said.
As he coaxes her to eat a little more, Kathie can frequently be heard saying, 'I'm tired' over and over.
'So what that really means, we don't know. I like to think sometimes it's, 'I love you, Bruce,'' he said.
We're pretty sure after all these years, she does.
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