A Florida couple's COVID-19 story is touching hearts after it was revealed that, after 66 years of marriage, the two died 15 minutes apart.
On Feb. 27, Bill and Esther Ilnisky were taken to the Trustbridge hospice after contracting the novel coronavirus. Chief clinical officer Jacqueline Lopez-Devine said it was the first time a couple had arrived together.
The pair died shortly afterward. Adopted daughter Sarah Milewski said Esther died at 10:15 a.m. March 1 and Bill 15 minutes later.
Milewski said her parents were "always, always together" and were "so in sync." She said they were known in the missionary community to go on "adventures" together.
Bill, 88 and Esther, 92, would have celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary this past weekend. The couple worked for almost seven decades as Christian missionaries in the Middle East and the Caribbean before settling in Florida.
In January, sisters Vicki Harper and Debbie Howell shared the story of their parents, Dick and Shirley Meek, who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary Dec. 22 but died of the virus Jan. 16 within minutes of each other.
The Ohio couple were admitted to Riverside Hospital Jan. 8 after testing positive.
Dick and Shirley are survived by five children, 13 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. The couple enjoyed traveling with the family and even went skydiving.
The story of Manny and Sally Montano may be the biggest tear-jerker of all - they died within seconds of each other.
Manny and Sally contracted COVID early in January. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the hospital Montano said his father's condition improved "when he realized she was there."
On Jan. 28, the Arizona couple died seconds apart, hands together. "It was amazing. They lived for each other," Montano said.
