War veteran, 102, and wife of 78 years killed by coronavirus just hours apart
A 102-year-old World War II veteran and his wife of 78 years died just hours apart of coronavirus.
David Cohen and his 97-year-old wife Muriel died Friday after they contracted the virus while living in a nursing home in Massachusetts. They were both tested for Covid-19, but only Muriel initially tested positive. Despite the concerning diagnosis, David remained by his wife’s side until the very end of their lives.
The couple’s daughter, Fran Grosnick, told WCVB: ‘I said, “My parents cannot be separated, and my dad and mother have to stay together.” So that was exactly what they did.’
‘They were both very ill with other conditions, and aware only that they were together. This was comforting and they did not suffer,’
David reportedly died shortly before 7pm on Friday and Muriel passed away less than three hours later.
The two met in the summer of 1942 while she was studying at a nursing school in Brooklyn, New York and they had been together ever since, according to their daughter.
‘Their love story began in the summer of 1942 and continued until last Friday,’ Grosnick said.
‘She left nursing school to marry him and they were always together, except for when he was in the service.’
During his service, the only time the couple was apart, David helped liberate the Ohrdruf concentration camp in Germany in 1945. He is featured in photos taken at the concentration camp which are permanently displayed at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.
‘When my father got there, it was the most horrific sight that (he said) he had ever seen in his entire life,’ Grosnick recalled.
‘He spent the rest of his life speaking about his liberating experiences and teaching are school children about the Holocaust and to “never hate.”‘
Reflecting on her parents’ lives and tragic deaths, Grosnick said she is glad her ‘parents are together and…at peace.’
‘I was fortunate to have my parents for a very long time. I was fortunate and I was blessed, and I’m going to remember that,’ She said.