Sick husband serenades wife with love song from hospital bed


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OREM — After being hospitalized for bladder cancer and hip surgery from a bad fall, a man was afraid his time on Earth was short and wanted to let his wife of 66 years know that he loved her. Their sweet moment was caught on camera and the video has gone viral.

In a video posted on YouTube, James Pinegar, 86, or Orem, Utah, serenaded his wife, Colleen, 86, with the song "You Are My Sunshine" while recovering in the hospital. Beckoning her over to his bedside in the video, James grabs her by the hand.

"This is special to me," he said before starting the song.

Colleen joins in with the harmony part and they share a kiss at the end of the song.

Last January, James saw his 90-year-old neighbor fall down in her yard on an icy, snowy day. He hurried outside to help her, but slipped on the ice as well and hurt his hip.


That's originally why it was filmed. Not everyone in the family could come see him in the hospital and he wanted to share his feelings. I don't think he knew he'd get so emotional, he just wanted to share something with the rest of the family.

–Linda Whitaker


"He didn't put on the right shoes and went over there and slipped on the ice trying to help," said Linda Whitaker, 60, daughter of James and Colleen, who lives in Midway.

Pinergar went to the hospital. He was already recovering from bladder cancer surgery and ended up needing a hip replacement from the fall. After his hip surgery, he got a blood infection and had to stay in the hospital for a while.

The family wasn't sure what was going to happen, so their grandson brought a video camera to capture James singing their favorite song to Colleen. The video was posted on YouTube by Whitaker for friends and family members.

"That's originally why it was filmed," Whitaker said. "Not everyone in the family could come see him in the hospital and he wanted to share his feelings. I don't think he knew he'd get so emotional, he just wanted to share something with the rest of the family."

It ended up going viral with more than 370,000 views since February. The video has touched thousands of people around the globe.

"I feel privileged to have witness this moment. Thank you so much for sharing," wrote one YouTube commenter. "I can't stop crying. This is so precious," wrote another.

Their granddaughter, Andrea Jarvis, left this message on YouTube:

"This is my sweet grandma and grandpa.... things were not looking great and while we all hoped and prayed for the best we really didn't know what lay ahead. This is a song that his children and grandchildren had heard them sing together many times. They are one of the greatest examples of true unselfish love that I have ever seen in my life. My grandma was by his side the entire time nursing him back to health. This is love."


That was my dad's third surgery and my mom didn't leave his side for three months while he recovered. She would go home to go to bed, but be right back there every morning, either at the hospital or at rehab.

–Linda Whitaker


Whitaker says the most inspiring message they've received has been from a man in England.

"There was one guy from England who had recently gone through a divorce and said he didn't believe in love anymore, but after he saw (the video he felt) there might be hope for him to find love again someday," Whitaker said.

Whitaker agrees with Jarvis that their love is inspiring and says it has been amazing to see their marriage and love and devotion for each other.

"It's always been full of love and kindness to each other and unselfishness," Whitaker said. "They are very good examples. That was my dad's third surgery and my mom didn't leave his side for three months while he recovered. She would go home to go to bed, but be right back there every morning, either at the hospital or at rehab.

Whitaker says her father is doing well but still recovering from hip surgery. And he's still singing with Colleen.

"Oh yeah, they sang to all my kids yesterday," Whitaker said. "They enjoy singing... my mom just makes my dad sound good."

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LifestyleUtah
Tracie Snowder

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