A couple married for more than five decades spent their final moments together holding hands after they died an hour apart with coronavirus.
Betty Tarpley, 80, and her husband, 79-year-old Curtis Tarpley, spent most of their lives together after meeting at high school in Illinois, before later falling in love in California as adults.
The couple, who were married for 53 years, passed away on June 18 at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth.
They both were admitted to the facility less than two weeks earlier with Covid-19.
Staff at the hospital arranged for the pair to spend some final moments together beforehand, during which they held hands.
Tim Tarpley, the couple's son, said his mother had been sick for a few days when he took her to the Texas hospital and found out she had Covid-19.
Ms Tarpley was admitted to the facility on June 9, two days before her husband was admitted.
Commenting on his parents' passing and their holding of hands shortly before, their son told CNN: "I honestly think they were so incapacitated that all they could do was talk with their souls or something, a special unspoken language."
"They obviously knew each other well enough that they could communicate without words," he added.
He also said that the couple's family and friends hoped to be able to have a celebration of their life next year.
