Couple Marks 65th Anniversary Of 'Amazing Marriage' At Hospital

RIVERHEAD, NY — A couple who has spent 65 years in love, weathering life's storms while steadfast in their devotion to one another, celebrated their anniversary at Peconic Bay Medical Center recently — renewing their vows in a heart-touching ceremony.

Patricia Connelly, 82, and her husband Robert, 83, were given an anniversary party in PBMC's courtyard garden; Patricia is a resident at the Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

The garden was decorated for the event, and Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar and members of the town board delivered a proclamation for the bride and groom as they renewed their vows.

“The ceremony was absolutely beautiful,” said Amy E. Loeb, executive director of Peconic Bay Medical Center. “It put such a huge smile on my face seeing how happy the couple of 65 years were together."

The skilled nursing and patient experience team put together an "amazing ceremony" for one of PBMC's long-term patients — fixing Patricia's hair and makeup andarranging for a "Happy Anniversary" cake, Loeb said.

Patricia has been a resident at the facility for four years. She met her husband Robert, a veteran of the United States Marine Corp and volunteer firefighter, in high school — and from that moment forward, they never left one another's sides.

“The town board and I were honored to be a part of such a wonderful ceremony; it was a pleasure to witness Robert and Patricia's enduring love still going strong, after 65 years,” said Aguiar. “The Connellys are a reminder of how beautiful love is, and I wish them many more years of health and happiness, together."

Robert Connelly reflected on the decades of love he has shared with his bride.

“To have somebody that I not only love, but trust to help me and be there for me when I need them truly means a lot, and that’s the kind of love my wife and I have. The secret to 65 years of a loving and trustful marriage is communication and never going to sleep mad at each other, and me and my wife never have," he said. "We’ve traveled all over the world, wherever Patricia wanted to go, I just followed. And now we're here, celebrating 65 years of an amazing marriage."

With his wife living at PBMC, Robert said he was grateful for the "wonderful nurses here at the rehabilitation center that she trusts to help her if she's having a bad day — and to tell her everything is okay."

Robert thanked all involved at PBMC for the special celebration. "This was truly amazing," he said.