Miami Couple Named Worlds Longest-Married Pair After 83 Years Together

A Miami couple has recently got the titile of the world's longest-married couple. Eleanor, 107, and Lyle Gittens, 108, reflecting on their 83-year-long marriage, said that the secret to their enduring relationship is simply that they love each other, reported the Guardian.

The couple's marriage was confirmed by LongeviQuest, a website that keeps records of people who are 100 years old or older. The organisation verified their 1942 marriage certificate, US Census records, and other documents. 

The Gittenses got the title after the deaths of Manoel Angelim Dino, 106, and his wife Maria de Sousa Dino, 102, of Brazil, who were considered the world's longest-married couple after remaining married for 85 years.

Their story is special because they endured war and many hardships. Eleanor and Lyle first met at a college basketball game in 1941. Lyle was playing for Clark Atlanta University, and Eleanor was there as a spectator. 

The couple married on June 4, 1942, when Lyle had three days off from army training in Georgia. While Lyle was serving in Italy with the US Army's 92nd Infantry Division, Eleanor worried whether she would ever see him alive again.

She was pregnant with their first child and moved to New York City. There, she met Lyle's family and kept in touch with him by writing letters while she worked. However, the Army censored every letter.

After the war, the Gittenses settled in New York, passed the civil service exam together, took government jobs, and travelled, including to Eleanor's favourite place, Guadeloupe. 

Eleanor received a doctorate in urban education from Fordham University at the age of 69. The couple also remained active in the Clark Atlanta Alumni Association before moving to Miami to be near their daughter, Angela.

Lyle said that he enjoys spending time with Eleanor and is happy to be with her. He also said that the two enjoy their time and have done many things together in their lives.