Husband ‘Hitches’ Ride to Reunite with Wife with Dementia After Year Apart

An 88-year-old former truck driver from Cincinnati was able to hitch a ride to see his wife for the first time in almost a year, leading to an emotional reunion.

“I’m ridin’, I’m going to see my wife,” Everett Linton told a reporter from ABC affiliate WCPO from the passenger seat of a semi-truck.

The nostalgic ride and reunion on Aug. 22 were organized by his care facility, Luminary Hospice Cincinnati, and the facility where his wife, Patricia, is staying, Majestic Care of Fairfield Assisted Living in Fairfield, Ohio.

It was a fitting tribute to their life together.

Everett served in the U.S. Air Force in the 1950s before working as a truck driver for three decades. He drove until he was 80, WCPO reported.

He has dementia, a milder case of the same condition that has inhibited Patricia’s memory. That didn’t stop him from climbing into the truck and clapping his hands in excitement before the 30-minute ride to the other facility, according to the outlet. 

“We knew that he was a truck driver and he’s been wanting to see his wife, who’s in a different facility, so we knew we were going to make that happen,” Nicole Miller, executive director of Luminary Hospice, told WCPO.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Miller expanded on that, saying, “At Luminary Hospice, we believe that ‘hospice is a gift’—a chance to bring comfort, dignity, and meaningful connection at the end of life.”

“We are humbled to help turn final wishes into treasured memories by treating every moment as the precious gift it truly is,” Miller says.

When Everett arrived, he immediately went to his wife’s bedside. They were surrounded by loved ones for the special moment, including his son, via video call. 

Patricia, who has advanced dementia, wasn’t able to remember her husband, according to the WCPO, but their connection endured.

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“You know me, you know who I am, I’m your husband,” said Everett. “I’m Everett, that’s okay.”

As he said goodbye to his partner, he gave her a kiss on the forehead before returning home.