Maureen Vanderslice was 79 and had been widowed for seven years when she began to feel lonely. The nights were the worst, and she describes that time herself as a dark period.
In late 2025, she crossed paths in a hallway at her senior living community near Dallas with Ken, 89, who had also been widowed for four years. He invited her out, and it was the little gestures that won her over: according to the Swiss press, he brought her a white rose every Tuesday. On June 20, 2026, about eight months after they started dating, they got married.
In September, during a family boat trip on Lake Texoma, they watched Maureen’s grandchildren ride on an inflatable tube being pulled by the boat. She asked Ken if he really wanted to try it. He admitted that he did. Maureen took his hand and said, “Let’s go.” They weren’t wearing swimsuits, so they went into the water fully clothed. Her granddaughter Kenzie filmed it all, and the video racked up 2,6 million views on TikTok.
““I’m happier than ever”,” Maureen told the Washington Post.