An American couple from Miami, Eleanor and Gay Gittens, have officially been recognized as the world's longest-married couple after 83 years of marriage, according to LongeviQuest, a specialist organization that tracks centenarians. The couple attributes their enduring relationship to mutual love. Eleanor, 107, stated, "We love each other... that's the secret," while Gay, 108, simply said, "I love my wife." A verification committee at LongeviQuest confirmed the record by reviewing their 1942 marriage certificate, U.S. census records, and decades-old archival documents. This officially makes the Gittens couple the longest-married in the world, succeeding the previous Brazilian record holders, Manuel Angelim Dino (106) and his wife Maria (102), who held the title until last October. On their achievement, Gay said in a press statement, "I'm happy to be here... we enjoy our time together... we've been through a lot together." The couple first met in 1941 at a basketball game at Clark Atlanta University, where Gay was a player and Eleanor was a spectator. Despite expecting Gay to be drafted for World War II, they married on June 4, 1942, during a short military leave, beginning their shared life journey that included raising three children, working, traveling, and pursuing education. During the war, the couple stayed in touch through letters despite strict military censorship. Afterward, they moved to New York, where they passed civil service exams and worked for the government, traveling to various places, including Eleanor's favorite, Guadeloupe. At the age of 69, Eleanor earned a doctorate in urban education from Fordham University. The couple remained active with the Clark Atlanta University alumni association before moving to Miami to live near their daughter Angela.
