A TRAGIC couple who were married for 74 years have died just hours apart on the same day – striking an uncanny resemblance to The Notebook.
“Loving” couple Odileta Pansani de Haro and Paschoal de Haro died a mere 10 hours apart – almost like Noah and Allie in the romcom classic.
Their poetic deaths occurred just two days after their 74th wedding anniversary.
Family members revealed that Paschoal had been hoping for him and his wife to pass away on the same day, following his diagnosis of bowel cancer and her struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
God seemingly answered his prayers in April, when the couple’s magical tale came to an end on the same day in the same room at their home in Brazil.
For the last few years before their deaths, Odileta was cared for by her husband while she suffered from dementia.
The unforgettable couple were born in Brazil – Odileta in Mirassol and Paschoal in neighbouring Bálsamo.
They first met in the main square of Votuporanga when she was 15 and he was 18.
The picture-perfect romance began when Paschoal was minding his own business and fixing a piece of jewellery.
But as fate would have it – the chain flew out his hand and hit Odileta’s arm.
This consequential moment sparked laughter between the pair before they went on to chat and eventually start dating.
Years after their blooming romance, they tied the knot in April 1951.
The fairy-tale couple went on to have six children together.
Odileta looked after the children while Paschoal worked at a fabric shop.
They then became grandparents, and after that were made great-grandparents.
Odileta and Paschoal also founded a charity in Votuporanga to donate baby clothes to single mothers and food to those in need.
Luciano Leal, their son-in-law, shared with local media: “They were consistently kind, caring, and always ready to assist others, regardless of their background or social standing.”
He said that the pair “always stood for self-love and the love they had for one another”.
“And they poured that love into helping those around them,” he added.
The storybook couple celebrated their last wedding anniversary surrounded by their family.
Luciano said: “It’s a love story worthy of a film.
“They always said they’d leave together – and they did.
He added: “They lived, they loved, and they triumphed in this great passion they had for each other. And they leave behind this beautiful family.”
Odileta tragically passed away at 7am on 17 April, aged 92, while Paschoal died at 5pm the very same day, aged 94.
They were at their home in Votuporanga, north-west of São Paulo, Brazil.
Their poignant story has drawn parallels to The Notebook, a 2004 film depicting a young couple’s enduring love through life’s trials and the inevitable passage of time.
The female character also suffers from dementia towards the end of the film while her husband takes care of her.
At the end of the film, the two characters pass away peacefully side by side, symbolizing their eternal love even in death.
