A grandchild observed her grandparents wiping their cheeks after crying. She snapped a snapshot and posted it online to plead for assistance since she couldn’t watch as they suffered from despair and pain.
Ashley Bartyik looked up to her grandparents and admired their long-lasting union. Grandparents who dedicatedly spent a lifetime of experiences with their family.
Sadly, as they grew older, Wolfram and Anita Gottschalk were compelled into an unusual living condition. Their hearts broke when they realized they could no longer live together after 62 years of being together.
The Most Depressing Picture That She Had Ever Taken
In August of 2016, Ashley told the world about her grandparents and their tale. She shared their unending love and dedication with the members of the internet community in the hopes that someone might be able to assist them with their current problem. The grandchild penned the following caption next to a picture of Wolfram and Anita:
“This is the saddest photo I have ever taken. This is my Omi and my Opi. As you can see, they are both wiping away tears! But why?”
She went on to say that the photograph had been shot on Yale road in Surrey, Canada, and that it had captured a candid moment between her grandmother and grandfather.
Separated for eight months
Wolfram was waiting to be admitted to a nursing home that could take care of his medical needs. While Wolfram’s wife remained in The Residence at Morgan Heights.
The pair was unable to be in the same care facility due to delays and malfunctioning administrative processes. Wolfram had been trying to move in with his wife for eight months, but nothing had happened.
The pair had been separated for the longest period of time in their 62-year marriage. Their family, who attempted to reunite them as frequently as possible, was troubled by it and felt grief for them.
Ashley made an urgent appeal for assistance in their reunion and told people that her grandparents deserved to live out their final years together. She attempted to follow other platforms but was unsuccessful, so she went to Facebook.
They Both Wept Whenever They Came Together
The couple always shed tears whenever they were in one other’s company. Their granddaughter elaborated as follows:
“They generally have a really good time. We bring him snacks. But when it comes time to leave, he wonders why he can’t come with us.”
The couple’s anxiety level increased after hearing the news from Wolfram’s physician. He was given a terminal cancer diagnosis, and time was running out. Wolfram, too, was suffering from dementia, and his condition was worse with time.
Even though he could still recall every detail about his cherished wife, his family was concerned that he may start to forget Anita if they continued to live apart.
A Desperate Yearning on the Part of the Grandmother
The request for assistance that Ashley made was an urgent one, and she informed people that her grandparents deserved to spend their remaining years together as a family unit. She attempted to follow other channels, but her efforts were fruitless, so she switched to using Facebook instead.
The user community immediately came to the conclusion that the post should be shared widely because something needed to be done before it was too late. Ashley, the fulfillment of her grandmother’s greatest wish: sharing
“She is just begging anyone that can help her get her husband back. It’s been very, very difficult for our family.”
The Day That the Couple Had Been Looking Forward To
A spokesman from the Fraser Health Authority replied to the huge public concern surrounding the couple’s narrative by providing some clarification to the situation. They revealed that the couple need different levels of medical care and that it would be difficult to place them together because of this.
One month after Ashley’s post gained widespread attention on the internet, the happy pair was granted the wish of their hearts. The granddaughter explained as follows:
“Our family joyfully witnessed the reunification of Wolfram and Anita Gottschalk. Wolfram has finally been moved to the same facility as Anita at the residence at Morgan Heights. The reunion saw tears of joy for all involved.”
Ashley expressed gratitude to both the media and Fraser Health for their roles in facilitating their reunion. She had high hopes that their narrative would inspire other elderly couples who wanted to spend their golden years with their families to speak up and share their experiences. Ashley and her family have committed to being active supporters of the movement.
The granddaughter uploaded a heartbreaking video of her grandmother Anita giving her husband Wolfram a hug for the first time, knowing that it would be the last time they would have to part ways. She cradled the face of her husband in her hands as the two of them sobbed together with relief and joy overflowing their hearts.