Elaine Hall, at the age of 88, finally had the opportunity to wear a white wedding dress and veil when she married her childhood crush, Roland Passaro, also 88. The couple had first met 74 years earlier in junior high school but had gone their separate ways after high school. After attending their 50th high school reunion in 2003, they rekindled their connection and eventually fell in love. They got married on March 23 in Palm Coast, Florida, in a ceremony that fulfilled Hall’s lifelong dream of having a traditional wedding. Passaro was in awe of how beautiful and exciting Hall looked walking down the aisle in her white dress and veil.
Their romance began when they both attended the 50th high school reunion, with Passaro coming from Miami and Hall coming from Atlantic City. Though they had each gone through their own trials and tribulations over the years, they felt an immediate chemistry upon reconnecting. They began talking on the phone, emailing, and eventually, Hall moved in with Passaro in Miami. After almost 20 years together, they decided to get married in a ceremony surrounded by family. Passaro’s son, who is an ordained minister, performed the wedding ceremony, with Hall’s daughters walking her down the aisle and their great-granddaughters serving as flower girls.
Despite not expecting to find love later in life, Hall and Passaro have embraced being newlyweds as they approach their 90s. They both emphasize that falling in love at any age is possible and that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important. They golf and walk regularly, with Passaro also doing exercises at home like push-ups and sit-ups. They read to each other and do puzzles to keep their brains sharp. Genetics also play a role in their longevity, with both of their parents living into their 90s. Hall is amazed by the power of love at any age, saying that when it happened, it was pure and simple chemistry.
Hall and Passaro had attended the same junior high school in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in 1950, with Passaro being a star athlete and Hall a cheerleader. They frequently interacted due to their involvement in school activities, but they never dated. Hall went on to marry someone else at the age of 18 in a hurried ceremony, while Passaro pursued a career in professional baseball and later worked for an airline in Miami. After attending their high school reunion in 2003, they reconnected and began a romantic relationship that eventually led to marriage. They both believe it’s never too late to find love and happiness, no matter your age.
