Woman, 80, and man, 92, meet at speed-dating event, proving it's never too late to find love
An 80-year-old woman and a 92-year-old man have fallen in love after meeting at a speed-dating event.
Renee Weiss and Miles Miller spoke for four minutes at the matchmaking event held at Somerby Sandy Springs, a retirement home in Georgia. “I don’t remember what we talked about — we just connected,” Weiss tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “A click just went off in my brain.”
The event was held in October for Somerby residents and locals who live independently in response to what community liaison Jodi Firestone calls “a great demand.”
“Our residents are young and vibrant, and we’ve always watched them pair up like high school kids,” Firestone tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “Many are alone and desperate to meet someone, but it’s challenging.”
Ten men and 10 women sat at tables adorned with chocolate kisses, white roses, and balloons, and every four minutes the men rotated. Each participant was given a sheet of paper and told to indicate “Spark,” “No spark,” or “Friendship,” and would be notified if there was interest in a particular person. The only rule: no discussion of politics.
Weiss, a former restaurant owner in Alpharetta, Ga., and Miller, a former high school principal in East Cobb, Ga., both of whom live independently, have been dating for six months. (Yes, they have already said, “I love you.”) The couple spends all their free time together, including weekends, with Miller typically driving 25 minutes to pick up Weiss and taking her to upscale restaurants, the movie theater, or the park to feed ducks. “He always pays,” adds Weiss.
Weiss lives in her daughter’s home but has her own separate entrance, and when she knows Miller is coming over she’ll leave the door unlocked. “Just now, I was on my computer and he walked in and put his arms around me,” she says. “He’s so warm and caring.”
Their chemistry is infectious — on Saturday, they hit a five-star bistro and chatted up a mother and her teenage son at a nearby table. When Miller gave the boy a gold coin (his signature move at restaurants), the family surprised the couple by paying for their meal.
“When I make a reservation, I usually go to Open Table. … They have a little spot for a comment and I always put down a little thing saying, “Two seniors in love.” That seems to get their attention,” Weiss told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Although they recently returned from a seven-day Caribbean cruise, Miller is already planning their next romantic trip in May. “Instead of sitting home and feeling sorry for ourselves and looking at ourselves in the mirror, to get out and do something, to plan ahead — if you don’t plan ahead, you’re not living,” Miller told the Journal-Constitution of his take-charge nature.
Having become a widow five years ago after a 56-year marriage, Weiss says remarriage is off the table. “At our age, it’s not necessary.” However, “Miles is a remarkable man,” she says. “I’m in a good place.”
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