A North Carolina couple who were born in the same month and were married for 65 years have died on the same day - just hours apart.
The family of Eleanor Witt Turner and Frank Eugene Turner, both 87, say the couple did nearly everything together in life - and couldn't bare to be away from each other.
A heart-wrenching picture shows the loving husband and wife holding hands for the last time before they later passed away.
The couple's daughter, Linda Purser, told MailOnline that she is heartbroken to lose her parents, but that she is comforted knowing that they both passed away together.
Eleanor and Frank Turner are seen together on their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married December 24, 1948 and died on Friday
Wrenching: This is the last moment Eleanor and Frank spent together. Both were confined to hospital beds after suffering strokes. Frank reached over to touch his wife's hand. Both died four days later
Beautiful couple: Eleanor was a secretary at a car dealership in 1948. Frank was just back from the war and was shopping for a new car. He left with a sedan - and Eleanor
'They were born in the same month in the same year. And it just seemed like they did everything close together in their lives,' Mrs Purser said.
'I felt like when one went the other wouldn't be far behind, but I had no idea it would be in the same day.'
Eleanor and Frank Turner had been ill - both were suffering from dementia and both recently suffered a stroke.
Mrs Purser captured the last moment that her parents spent together in a touching picture. Both were confined to hospital beds. Mr Turner reached over and touched his faithful wife's hand. It was taken on Monday. They survived only four days apart.
Mrs Turner had to be placed in hospice care, but Mr Turner technically was not eligible and had to be put in a separate nursing home just a few miles apart.
Happy couple: Frank and Eleanor (left and center) are newlyweds in this picture, taken December 24, 1948. They would have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary later this month
A nurse called Mrs Purser about 4.30am on Friday with sad news: Her mother had died.
She and her brother were debating whether to tell their father - who was also very sick.
'We knew that it would upset him and we didn’t didn't to upset him any worse,' she said.
Shortly after 1.30pm, the nursing home where Mr Turner was staying called: He went into arrest and died on the way to the hospital.
Even as their health failed, Eleanor and Frank insisted on being together.
'Whenever I tried to put them into a nursing facility, I wanted them to be together because they couldn’t tolerate being apart,' Mrs Purser said.
The pair passed away just three weeks from their 65th wedding anniversary. They were married December 24, 1948.
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