An 88-year-old former truck driver from Cincinnati finally got to see his wife after nearly a year apart, thanks to a special ride arranged just for him.
“I’m ridin’, I’m going to see my wife,” Everett Linton told a reporter from WCPO from the passenger seat of a semi-truck.
The trip and reunion on Aug. 22 were organized by his care facility, Luminary Hospice Cincinnati, along with Majestic Care of Fairfield Assisted Living in Fairfield, Ohio, where his wife Patricia now lives.
Everett’s journey was a tribute to the life he and Patricia built together.
Everett served in the U.S. Air Force in the 1950s before working as a truck driver for 30 years. He kept driving trucks until the age of 80, WCPO reported.
Now living with dementia, Everett was still filled with excitement, clapping his hands as he climbed into the truck for the 30-minute ride to see Patricia. She also has dementia, though in a more advanced stage.
“We knew that he was a truck driver and he’s been wanting to see his wife, who’s in a different facility, so we knew we were going to make that happen,” Nicole Miller, executive director of Luminary Hospice, told WCPO.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Miller added: “At Luminary Hospice, we believe that hospice is a gift—a chance to bring comfort, dignity, and meaningful connection at the end of life. We are humbled to help turn final wishes into treasured memories by treating every moment as the precious gift it truly is.”
When Everett arrived at the facility, he went straight to Patricia’s bedside. Family members gathered around, and their son joined by video call.
Patricia, who can no longer remember her husband, still shared a quiet moment with him.
“You know me, you know who I am, I’m your husband,” Everett told her gently. “I’m Everett, that’s okay.”
Before heading home, Everett gave Patricia a kiss on the forehead—a tender goodbye after their long-awaited reunion.
