America's longest married couple offers relationship advice on Twitter

America's longest married couple offers relationship advice on Twitter

(Courtesy of the Betar family)


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FAIRFIELD, Conn. — More than eight decades ago, John Betar fell in love with the girl next door.

The World War I refugee, who came to the U.S. from Syria as a child, developed a deep relationship with Ann Shawah as he drove her to high school each day at the start of his fruit peddling route in Connecticut, according to a news release. The couple eloped more than 83 years ago, and they haven't looked back since.

John and Ann Betar were named the "longest married couple in the United States" back in 2014 by The Worldwide Marriage Encounter. Now, the couple is teaming up with the cleaning service Handy to help younger lovebirds enjoy lasting relationships like theirs. They will answer questions on Twitter Sunday.

"What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than get insight from the oldest couple in America?" Handy co-founder and CEO Oisin Hanrahan asked in a statement. "With 204 years of collective experience between them, John and Ann have so much wisdom to share. It's inspiring to see that they have built and continue to maintain a happy home after all this time together."

The couple married on Nov. 25, 1932, when John Betar was 21 and Ann Betar was just 17. Now, John Betar is 104 and Ann Betar is 100. Through the years, they raised four girls and one boy while John Betar ran a market in Connecticut and later worked in real estate. They currently have 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

"We're just lucky to be together. So fortunate," John Betar told the Washington Post.

The Valentine's Day question and answer session will be the couple's first rendezvous with Twitter, according to Handy. Questions can be submitted throughout the weekend by tweeting at the @Handy handle with the hashtag #LongestLove.

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