Couple's final wish granted: reunion in hospital room

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. — This is Richard Rand, 87, and his wife June, 86.

Both have been battling pneumonia. Their daughter Lisa, who lives in Fernandina Beach, Florida, made the decision to move her parents from out of state to Nassau County so she could care for them.

 

They have been married for 65 years. They met during World War II, when Richard was 13 and June was 12.

Richard served as a foreign service officer. He and June lived all over the world before retiring to Connecticut and Virginia.

Unfortunately, Richard’s pneumonia has worsened. June fell at a rehab facility and suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

June was taken to Shands in Jacksonville but wanted to be reunited with her husband, who is hospitalized at Baptist Medical Center Nassau in Amelia Island.

Staff at Baptist worked to ensure that June could be wheeled into Richard's hospital room.

The two touched hands.

Their granddaughter Taylor wrote on social media: "Our prayers were answered last night. My Grandma and Papa were reunited.

The extended Rand family has flown to Jacksonville to be with the couple.

On Wednesday night, the reunion happened: 

Cox Media Group