Two elderly residents of a North Miami Beach nursing home are proof that you’re never too old to find love.
Maria Cobar, 80, and Carlos Suarez, 95, tied the knot November 10 at a ceremony inside the Aventura Plaza Rehab and Nursing Center. It was Cobar's first marriage, according to the nursing center.
The two met when Suarez moved in across the hall from Cobar, who has lived there since 2009, less than a year ago. They met in the hallway, and were quickly attracted to each other. She gave him a tour, then at the arts and crafts activities he came and sat next to her. The two became known as the love birds of the complex.
Suarez’s first reaction to seeing his future bride was, "not bad," which quickly turned to "I'm not letting her get away," according to NBC's "Today" show.
Cobar came to the United States from Guatemala as a 26-year-old, becoming a nanny and housekeeper, the nursing center said. Suarez, whose wife died in 2006, arrived from Cuba 56 years ago with her and their son before starting a jewelry business, "Today" reported.
The pair love to dance — though he's usually in a wheelchair next to Cobar, who has a walker. They also like to watch the news and the sunset together, the nursing home says.
The nursing home provided the venue as well as items like balloons, the arch and musical entertainment, while Cobar's daughter got the flowers and decorations, according to "Today." Employees chipped in to surprise them with a mariachi band for them to dance to. It managed to get Suarez out of his wheelchair and dancing with his bride.
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“My mom never worried about looking for a husband, I was her priority her entire life,” Cobar's daughter, Ana Cobar, told the Miami Herald. “The day finally has come and I’m so happy for her, she deserves this.”
The two now live in the same room and will take their first trip out of the home as a couple this Thanksgiving, spending the day at the home of Cobar’s daughter, "Today" reported.
