The recent wildfires in the areas surrounding Los Angeles, California, have brought so much loss and devastation. But Kalina Silverman, founder of Big Talk, is on a mission to share uplifting stories of hope from the tragedy.
Silverman shared an emotional video of married couple Manuel, 87, and his wife Emma, 86, who lost their home in the recent Eaton fires. In the video, Manuel is playing his guitar and singing "You Are My Sunshine" to his beloved Emma (who sits in a chair with her cane) in the rubble of their former home.
"Manuel and Emma, age 87 and 86, met when they were 19 and have been married for 65 years. They lost their home and all their belongings in the Altadena (Eaton) Fire. But they still have each other,❤️" the caption reads.
In the video, Manuel shares more about their love story and how they remain hopeful amidst the devastation. "I have no more roof problems! I don't have to worry about that," he jokes. "But I don't have a house now," he says, as Emma chimes in, "But we've got each other." Manuel adds, "We've got each other," as they embrace.
He adds that they got married at 19 years old, and that Emma was "the girl next door. And that's how we met", before adding that they have been married for 65 years.
While acknowledging their loss, he pivots to share a hopeful message. "I almost want to cry when I see people like in the situation we're in," he says. "But I also know there is a better world coming. There is a better way. And relief. Relief is on the way. Hang in there, you'll see. In your lifetime, relief is on the way."
After sharing his thoughts, he gets back to playing his guitar and singing with Emma, getting into John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and more. "Anyway. It's been a trip. I don't know what's going to happen. Just got to move forward," Manuel adds. "This is our home. She (Emma) brought me home." Emma adds, "He's going to serenade me," before Manuel jumps into another romantic song, which brings a smile to Emma's face.
old couple GIFGiphy
Their sweet video got many emotional comments from viewers. "I LOVE them 💞 Sitting in their rubble, they still smile and laugh with each other 💞 Now THATS resilience and true love 💞," one wrote. Another shared, "❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️. Proof that all you need is love to get through the day. No wonder they have been married for 65 years. They refuse to sweat the small stuff!"
Silverman shared her own comment, "Get out your tissues! 🥹 It was an honor to make Big Talk with Manuel and Emma. ❤️ Their love, sense of humor, and music are so inspiring. They do not have insurance and need our help. GoFundMe linked in my bio. Thank you for your support! ❤️❤️❤️"
Manuel and Emma, a couple married 65 years, who lost their home in the Eaton fire.
Tony Cosby/GoFundMe
If you are interested in helping Manuel and Emma, you can support their GoFundMe here. It was organized by their grandson, Tony Cosby, who shared more about his grandparents' story. "They’ve lived in Altadena since 1972 and still remember buying the house," he wrote. "Emma, my grandma, would sell homemade flour tortillas and burritos to support her family. While Manuel, my grandpa, worked different jobs ranging from a truck driver to making Styrofoam in a factory. These memories are just a few of the many memories they’ve made in their beautiful home. After 65 years together, this natural disaster has proved to be the most difficult. But their optimism, gratitude, and trust in God has kept them in positive spirit amidst this time."
It wasn't even February, so she wasn't expecting what came next. 
The hug came first, the 'yes' took a few moments more. 
Representative Image Source: Pexels | Oleksandr P 
Layout of the plane seatsImage Source: Mumsnet | 
Image Source: Joshua Potash | Reddit 
