Everyone remembers their high school crush. For some, the crush is like youth – fleeting.
You’ll both go your separate ways, making a new life, maybe a family. Afterall, you can’t stay young forever.
But for one pair of star-crossed lovers, while life did get in the way, all it took to rekindle that crush was their 60th high school reunion, and the help of one phone call.
When Florida-based doctor, Thomas McMeekin, got a phone call from Nancy Gambell, he knew this might be his last opportunity.
McMeekin said the couple had always “admired each other from a distance,” even going on a few dates.
(But I) never thought I had a chance with her.”
As it does, life moved on, and the pair found love with other people. They would see each other from time to time, but never was it the right time for the two to rekindle a romance.
“We’ve had lives and jobs and professions and children and husbands and experiences,” Gambell said.
Gambell had called McMeekin to let him know that she would be going to their school’s reunion in California, and wondered if the pair could get together while they were there.
Thomas McMeekin greets Nancy Gambell with a kiss. Photo from TikTok
That was it for the 78-year-olds, “And then we called. We talked for hours, hours every day. From June 10 until now, we fell in love again,” McMeekin said.
Within a few short weeks, McMeekin knew he couldn’t let Gambell get away again. So he invited her to visit him in Florida. “We were meant for each other, and so I said, ‘I’m sending you tickets to come see me,’” McMeekin said.
The video of the joyful reunion at the airport, as well as the surprise proposal, went viral.
@angelial.fedrick3 Rekindled love after 60 years! ❤️ There’s hope for us all! Congratulations Nancy and Dr McMeekin ❤️🥰🤗#DrMcMeekin #AAD #dermatology #truelovestory #retirement ♬ original sound – Angelia L. Fedrick
“I couldn’t wait. I surprised her. She arrived at the airport and she didn’t know what was happening,” McMeekin said.
“And I dropped down on two knees and I read my proposal. We’re both crying. And then I said, ‘Will you marry me?’ And she said ‘Yes.'”
Thomas McMeekin proposes to Nancy Gambell. Photo from TikTok
Gambell said she was in “shock”.
Expecting to find this kind of love, anytime, is kind of hard to imagine, but especially in this last few chapters that we have,” she said.
The couple said that they hoped this showed others that you’re never too old to find love.
“I did want something like this to happen,” Gambell said. “And I think part of why it happened was because I asked for it to happen. I asked the universe.”
McMeekin agreed. “To find it again at my age at this point in our life is just incredible, so have hope,” he said. “There is a chance.”
“All the prior relationships and marriages have taught me lessons and, for four years, I was searching for something and happiness is to love and be loved and that’s what I hoped for,” he said.
The pair will marry in October.
For a look at the path to love that these two took, watch below.
