The World’s Oldest Newlyweds Got Married — On The Groom’s 100th Birthday
Only_NewPhoto | Shutterstock Age is nothing but a number, and it's never too late to find love. And no two people have been more proof of this than Rose Pollard and Forrest Lunsway. You're not done living until you're dead, or so says Pastor Sam Lewis, who married the long-time lovers in 2011.
Of course, you may be wondering what's so super special about this? People are getting married every single day, right? The exception here is that, at the time of their wedding, Pollard was 90 and Lunsway was 100.
One of the world’s oldest newlyweds got married — on the groom’s 100th birthday
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The couple's wedding had made them the world's oldest newlyweds, surpassing the existing Guinness World Record by 82 days.
To understand the couple's adorable love story, we'd have to throw it back to the 80s when Pollard and Lunsway first set eyes on each other. They first met in December 1983 at a senior center dance in Long Beach, CA.
Pollard would have never imagined that 28 years later, she'd be married to Lunsway, and neither did Lunsway when her initial response to his proposal was, "I'll marry you on your 100th birthday."
But, as she had promised, Pollard did just that, and, by doing so, she gave her new husband the one thing that he had always wanted for his birthday: her hand in marriage.
The beautiful ceremony took place in front of community members, friends, and family. Pollard and Lunsway spent their first night as "Mr. and Mrs. Lunsway" in a room at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott of Dana Point, a gift from the hotel, complete with champagne and strawberries in their room."
As for his age, Lunsway had said at the time that he didn't even feel like he was 100, but rather 65. He attributed his longevity to his active lifestyle, having always worked outdoors and kept busy.
You don't have to take just his word for it. The American Heart Association stated, "Walking and vigorous-intensity running resulted in similar reductions in risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and possibly coronary heart disease over the study’s six years."
After almost three decades together, it was no surprise that Pollard and Lunsway had some wise words for young couples.
"Take your time and get to know one another,” Pollard had said in an interview at the time. "Get to know if you like all the things that person stands for. If they have the same values."
In addition, the couple shared many common interests, such as ballroom dancing. They also did a lot of things together that they had always wanted to do, such as walking the California coast and going kayaking in Alaska.
"Having a long-term activity or hobby you and your partner can do together opens the door to many unique possibilities," explained life coach Carolyn R. Owens. "It gives you something to look forward to, and each time will seem like a new experience as you continue to grow together."
Pollard also urged young couples to be patient, forgiving, and to say, "I love you." Sadly, Lunsway passed away at the age of 103 in 2014. And although Lunsway is no longer with us, his unbelievable love story with Pollard will certainly never be forgotten.
Stephanie Castillo is a writer whose work has been featured in Prevention, Women's Health, and more.
