The story of their forced separation dominated social media. Now, there's a happy ending for an elderly couple from Canada who were forced to lived apart in separate nursing homes.
Ashley Bartyik posted a photo on Facebook last month of her grandparents, Wolfram Gottschalk, 83, and Anita Gottschalk, 81, wiping away tears.
"This is the saddest photo I have ever taken," Bartyik said in the photo caption.
>>Read: Woman says grandparents married 62 years are forced to be apart
Bartyik said her grandparents are unable to live together in the same care home because of "backlogs and delays by our healthcare system," and lack of space in the care facility.
Bartyik said the system "(has) the power to have my grandpa moved to the same care facility as my grandmother" and the situation is made worse by Wolfram Gottschalk's developing dementia and his lymphoma diagnosis.
In a statement to CBC News, Fraser Health spokeswoman Tasleem Juma said the health care service provider was "exploring options other than this particular facility that his wife is at now."
"Certainly when the scope is narrowed to one facility, it becomes difficult to place them there, because we have to wait for another bed to become available," Juma said.
Juma told CTV News the company will "continue to work to reunite this couple."
And the couple will soon be reunited, The Star reported.
Wolfram and Anita will now be living a the same care home after Wolfram moves to Anita's Morgan Heights care home on Thursday.
The story isn't ending there. Family members told The Star that they will continue to work for other couples who are going through the same thing.
About the Author