Finding love wasn乌鸦传媒檛 top of mind for Dave Wright when he went for coffee in the bistro at White Rock Seniors Village last year.

It was the middle of the pandemic, and the 90-year-old was just starting to venture out following the death of June, his wife of nearly 70 years.

But he couldn乌鸦传媒檛 help but notice a certain lady who was also in the bistro that day.

乌鸦传媒淥ver at the bar, there乌鸦传媒檚 some ladies talking and this one lady in particular looked at me and smiled,乌鸦传媒� Wright recalled Wednesday (July 27). 乌鸦传媒淚 smiled back, and that was it. I didn乌鸦传媒檛 even know her name.乌鸦传媒�

As he played records for the residents over the weeks that followed, the lady with the smile 乌鸦传媒� Christine Connon 乌鸦传媒� moved closer and closer, eventually sitting next to him on his walker.

Connon, 80, said 乌鸦传媒渋t乌鸦传媒� happened for her when Wright was handling the music. A six-year resident of White Rock Seniors Village, she hadn乌鸦传媒檛 seen him around until that day in the bistro.

乌鸦传媒淚t happened just like that,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 like it was meant to be.乌鸦传媒�

Now, the pair are the talk of the Maple Street seniors乌鸦传媒� residence, as they get ready to tie the knot on Saturday (July 31). It will be the first wedding held at the retirement community since it opened as Christina Place in 1999.

Wright said word of their engagement just about made community relations manager Si Cussen fall out of her chair. Cussen was the first one to learn the news, but 乌鸦传媒渟he couldn乌鸦传媒檛 keep it to herself,乌鸦传媒� Wright chuckled.

In the two months since the proposal 乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒淚 couldn乌鸦传媒檛 get down on one knee, because if I got down, I couldn乌鸦传媒檛 get back up,乌鸦传媒� Wright quipped 乌鸦传媒� Wright said he has noticed a lightness at the residence. More residents are emerging from their rooms, and love has bloomed in other corners.

乌鸦传媒淲e think we乌鸦传媒檝e been a part of it,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淚t shows what can happen.乌鸦传媒�

He said the pandemic and all of its restrictions, in a sense, actually increased opportunities to find love.

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乌鸦传媒淭he tighter is it, the greater the possibility of people getting close and fond of each other,乌鸦传媒� Wright explained. 乌鸦传媒淚t can happen. We乌鸦传媒檙e as young as we are at heart. We乌鸦传媒檙e getting on in years, all of us. It doesn乌鸦传媒檛 matter 乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 how we feel and we feel that it乌鸦传媒檚 right and we乌鸦传媒檙e looking forward to spending as much time as we can together.乌鸦传媒�

Connon, who worked as a nurse at St. Paul乌鸦传媒檚 Hospital after moving to B.C. from England, agreed, adding that the pandemic made her value the relationship even more.

乌鸦传媒淚t does make you feel more about what乌鸦传媒檚 going on in life, and everything, and how we appreciate it,乌鸦传媒� she said.

Thanks to easing restrictions, dozens of guests will be able to attend the wedding, including Wright乌鸦传媒檚 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檒l be lovely,乌鸦传媒� Connon said, thinking of the day ahead. 乌鸦传媒淚 think it乌鸦传媒檚 just being with all my friends and everything. It乌鸦传媒檒l be lovely to see everybody and be together.乌鸦传媒�