When veteran Bill Moore was 20 years old, he spent his days serving in the Patton’s Third Army.
During Bill’s time fighting, writing letters to his future wife Bernadean Gibson was the only thing that helped him cope.
“When you’re apart for that reason, not knowing if and when you’d ever see that person again, every chance you got to communicate was just wonderful,” said Bill, from an assisted living facility in Aurora, Colorado.
“Letters to and from the front lines were a lifeline for service men and women fighting in World War II,” PBS explained. “Few things mattered more to those serving abroad than getting letters from home.”
Bill and Bernadean “dated” through their wartime letters, and after the war, they were married.
Together, Bill and Bernadean shared a marriage of 63 years and had three beautiful children.
Sadly, however, after a life of joy and happiness, Bernadean passed away in April 2010.
Years after Bernadean’s passing, a woman named Ilene Ortis was browsing a thrift shop for vinyl records. After picking out a few purchases, the woman took the records home. That’s when she noticed something interesting.
Tucked into one of the record sleeves was an old love letter— dated January 1945.
“My darling, lovable, alluring, Bernadean,” the letter reads.
“I ran out of space, but I could have written a lot more adjectives describing you. You are so lovely, darling, that I often wonder how it is possible that you are mind.”
“I’m really the luckiest guy in the world, you know. And you are the reason, Bernadean. Even your name sounds lovely to me.”
When Ilene realized she was holding a 70-year-old love letter, she figured it had probably been discarded by mistake. Nobody would throw out something that sentimental— and she made it her mission to return it to its rightful owner.
Ilene contacted the local media and asked for their help in tracking the couple down. With a little bit of hard work, they finally located Bill.
“I was really surprised,” Bill said.
“I had no way of knowing it would show up in the way it did, and it would actually reach me.”
In the video below, Bill re-reads his old love letters, reminisces on life, and laughs through flowing tears.
“It truly was a window into how deep their love was,” daughter Melinda Gale explained.
“Where it came from, that deep connection, and this was a window into their story.”
“He was a mechanical engineer,” she continued. “I cannot believe he shared these deep emotional words with her.”
Since being uploaded online, Bill and Bernadean’s story has been viewed more than 2 million times.
People are enamored by the couple’s genuine love and affection that has lasted more than 70 years.
“His wife up in heaven probably made sure that letter made it back to him.”
“This was really sweet brought tears to my eyes and makes me believe one day I’ll find a love similar to this great video.”
“Back then, love an marriage were really forever, not disposable like today. How beautiful.”
See it for yourself below!
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