After sharing more than eight decades of love and life together, the world’s longest-married couple revealed their heartfelt secrets to a lasting relationship. Their timeless story reminds us that true companionship is built on patience.
Modern relationships often fail to survive. Not so, however, with the 107-year-old Eleanor Gittens and her 108-year-old husband, Lyle Gittens, who have been together for more than 80 years. After Brazil’s Manoel and Maria de Sousa Dino, who had been married for 85 years, the longest married couple in the world shared their disarming impressions on what it takes to keep love alive for eternity.
Answering the question about their secret to a long marriage, they were simple: ‘We love each other.’ Their journey began in 1941 after Eleanor saw a college basketball game in Atlanta. She remembers every detail of the meeting with Lyle.
One year later, with World War II, Lyle was in the U.S. Army and married Eleanor on June 4, 1942, during a three-day leave.
World’s Longest-Married Couple Shares Timeless Secrets
Love Is a Daily Choice
The couple said their long-lasting marriage was not made on grand gestures but established day by day. “Marriage is a daily choice,” they insisted, adding that sticking together meant choosing to be patient, forgiving, and loving even when the going gets tough. The Gittens assert that their ability to embrace their differences, instead of changing each other, is what kept them together all these years.
Respect over Romance
The couple explained that, despite the romantic spark at the start, what really holds a relationship together is mutual respect. The couple endured poverty, sickness, political change, but one thing never wavered; goodness and compassion. “You cannot always agree, but you can always be kind,” they said.
Growing Together in Every Season
As life grew, they adopted growing side by side, not apart. They urged couples to be flexible with change and remain inquisitive about one another, even decades later. Their pieces of advice are simple but potent: “Don’t stop talking, don’t stop laughing, and never stop learning about the person you love.”
A Legacy Drawn From Love and Patience
After over eight decades of marriage, the couple’s story serves as an inspiring reminder that true love is neither about perfection but partnership. Their journey shows that real commitment is built over time with the smallest acts of care, understanding, and unshakeable faith in each other.