A photo of an elderly couple with flashcards has tugged on Internet users' heart strings after the story behind it was shared online
The man in the photo, named John, was sitting with his girlfriend, Linda, in a Starbucks. John was teaching Linda the alphabet
"You see, I've lost my memory and I'm trying to get it back," Linda explained to Matthew Ballstero, who took the photo and shared the full story on Facebook. Ballstero also shared the photo Reddit, where it quickly rose to the front page. It has been viewed by more than 2.5 million people.
Ballstero described the moment as "patience, love and understanding at its finest."
"John's unwavering love, patience and understanding for the woman he chose to give his life to. Linda's endless positive attitude, eagerness to (re)learn and mostly her uninhibited joy in expressing love to other. You may be losing your memory, Linda, but the love that you and John have for each other will never be lost. Thank you for your beautiful example, Linda and John!" wrote Ballstero on Facebook.
Employees at the local Starbucks commented on the photo, claiming that the couple were regulars.
"They were dating until she had a stroke. Now he takes her out during the day and has been helping her relearn all her skills. They are truly amazing people," wrote Marissa Gaschen.
Since the photo was taken, Ballstero told Mashable that he has seen Linda and John a few times, and the couple is aware of the huge positive effect they've had on millions of people.
"When I told them that the photo had gone viral they were overjoyed, confused and in shock... the good kind of shock! John and Linda have so much love, respect and compassion for each other and the people they meet, it's inspiring just to be in their presence."
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