Cándida Cuervo González and José Antonio García Llana, “Pepe”, took the oath “till death do us part” seriously. After 52 years of marriage, the church of San Esteban in Sograndio, Spain, is no longer just the place where they married in 1970, but has also become the burial place for both of them, who died just 45 minutes apart last Sunday (22).
Due to the state of health of the couple, acquaintances were already preparing for a parting, but no one even suspected that the deaths would occur almost simultaneously. Cândida, 89 years old, died in a nursing home in Oviedo, where she lived the last few days with Pepe, who died a few minutes later in Huca (Hospital Universitário Central de Asturias), where he had to be admitted last Friday (20) due to health complications associated with cognitive deterioration.
Although Cândida was in the nursing home when she died, she had also been hospitalized on January 2 with health problems.
“When we called to report the death, the first thing we were asked was if it was an accident, but in fact it was a strange and even romantic coincidence,” Maria Jesús, the couple’s niece, told Spanish newspaper La Nueva Spain.
Rua Puerto Pontón in Teatinos was the place chosen by Cândida and Pepe to put down roots. Although they had no children, the couple were considered “parents” by local residents. “You were always very dear to the neighbors, they loved you very much,” said the niece.