" In sickness and in health " is given lip service at every wedding , but here ’s a couple that actually walks the walk – or … hoverboards the walking , as it were .
John and Judy Anderson have been together for most 60 year . They met in 1958 , obviously a very tenacious time before the hoverboard was invented , but niggling did they know it would become an important daily fixture in their relationship .
Anyone who ’s ever help their gran set up her email knows that Modern technology can be intimidating for senior . I mean , I ’m in my 30s , and the first time I saw a hoverboard I thought , " What the sin is this garbage ? " But here ’s the chronicle of a 78 - year - honest-to-god man who meet one and thought , " Yeah , I ’ll ride one . And I ’ll take my wife along with me . "
Daniel Fishel/Thrillist
A man, a woman, a hoverboard, and a wheelchair
I first spotted John Anderson and his 76 - twelvemonth - old married woman , Judy , when I was driving out of doors of Denver , CO , near a retirement hamlet where seniors take spanking afternoon walks when it ’s gracious out . To say the least , they ’ve plain their walks up a notch : John pushes Judy ’s wheelchair while he tease on a hoverboard at 5 mph .
I asked John if he would share their story with me , and he happily oblige . He meet Judy in flyspeck Potsdam , New York – John was look Clarkson University , and Judy was consider to be a instructor at SUNY Potsdam . ( Go Fighting … Dams ? ) John join the Army and they reverberate around the humankind , to DC to Turkey to Germany , and at last settle down in Colorado in December 1989 . They have two nipper , and they ’ve been in a relationship for most 60 year . To put that in perspective , that ’s about 54 years longer than Kim and Kanye .
In 2003 , Judy was diagnosed with Parkinson ’s . She is currently in skilled breast feeding upkeep near the retirement village , and John comes to shoot the breeze Judy often . That ’s when they go for their very special walks . When I asked them how their family relationship has changed over metre , John said , " You get used to one another . " Judy offered , " You have to have beloved and … " " Patience ? " I asked . " Yes . "
Lee Breslouer/Thrillist
For a woman who lets herself be slowly rocketed around by a hoverboard , I ’d say she ’s the mannequin of solitaire . And I do n’t think John will be mad at me for writing this : he ’s not a outpouring chicken anymore . Watching him , uh , hover Judy around is at the same time one of the sweetest and most flakey thing I ’ve ever seen .
Man finds hoverboard (and an unexpected use for it)
When John first saw a Segway , he bang he wanted to try one , but never got the probability . Then he saw a report on the NBC affiliate in Denver about a local guy selling hoverboards , and buy one just for the underworld of it . I ask him if he fell 40 time after purchase it . He laughed .
" No , I did n’t hang 40 times , but I was frightened 40 times , " he said .
John explicate that he ’d rehearse on his hoverboard with a ski rod or a walk stick , and then finally beget to the full stop that he did n’t take either . I have a spirit that his past tense as a skier and a hockey goalie in all likelihood helped him .
Lee Breslouer / Thrillist
He realize the hoverboard could make a great motor for Judy ’s wheelchair . I asked Judy how she first find about the idea . Was she frightened ?
" Not really . I did n’t acknowledge what I was in for ! " she replied . I guess when you ’re with someone for that long , you begin to trust them . Weird . But John tells me he does n’t take the hoverboard to an dangerous hurrying . He goes about 4 - 5 mph , which is faster than you could walk , as evidenced by the fact that I had to trot a bit to keep up with them on the television .
The hoverboard is a newer feature in their tenner - long family relationship , but considering they ’ve traveled the populace together , put forward two kids , and managed to stay together through it all , it ’s just the ice on the cake of their lifelong storey .
What really struck me about these two ultimately was n’t the gewgaw of seeing an old valet cruise around on a hoverboard . multitude generally have a pretty negative prospect of hoverboards , but here ’s a 78 - yr - old man who ’s regain a way to embrace modern technology and use it to improve the clock time he has with his married woman . every bit telling , if not more , she ’s completely coolheaded with it . Maybe it ’s because I grow up in an age where everyone ’s parents were receive divorced , but it ’s pretty heartwarming that this guy is still by his wife ’s side . This is a kinship and a love that has adapted over fourth dimension – to disease , to the aging process , and to new technology .
But also … it ’s an old guy cruising around on a hoverboard ! severely , look at that dude go !
Sign up herefor our casual Thrillist email , and get your fix of the ripe in food / drink / fun .
