An elderly man was filmed singing “You’ll Never Know” to comfort his 93-year-old wife as she lay in a hospice facility, and the footage is heartbreaking.
Howard, 92, and Laura Serena have been married for 73 years. They have nine children and 18 grandchildren, according to ABC News, and Laura is currently suffering from dementia.
The video was uploaded to Facebook and then YouTube by granddaughter Erin Solari. Her posts describe the loving relationship between her grandparents and the significance of the song.
“Howard (Grandpa) is singing to her their love song, the song that comforted her when he went away to fight in World War II,” she wrote on YouTube. “At family gatherings, it was not uncommon for the two of them to sing this song together, each taking a verse and serenading the other. In fact, after fifty years of marriage, they renewed their vows and performed this song as a duet for the entire family at the reception.”
Howard is seen stroking his wife’s face as she mouths the lyrics of the song to him.
The video has more than 3.7 million views on Facebook to date. Solari wrote that “the outpouring of love [has] lifted everyone’s spirits…including Grandma’s!”
When she was told that the video had gone viral, Laura said, “I told you Howard that I’d make you famous.”
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com