The Heart Breaks, 2003

As the years passed, life slowed for the two of them. At first, there was some travel. First to Florida and then to Oregon. There had even been a trip out East. Eventually this began to be too difficult for them and they stopped traveling.

Around 1998. Winnie's health started to deteriorate. She couldn't get around as easy and started to use a walker. Then, over time, her eyesight started to give way, and finally, she could only see shadows and shapes.

By 2002 life was a continuous series of trips to the doctor. These trips became her only times outside the house. Life was closing down for Winnie. Still Al stood by and did all he could.

By the beginning of 2003, she hardly moved at all and she lost the will to live. In March she quit fighting the deterioration and let herself surrender to the eventual. By August she was gone.

Al was lost. His life had been built on two women. Both were gone. He had been married for 63 years, deeply in love and devoted to his wife and now she was gone. It was believed by those around him that he would soon follow.