Woman Celebrates Valentine’s Day With The Soldier Who Rescued Her During War

Edith Steiner just celebrated Valentine’s Day with the soldier who helped save her when she was just 20 years old… more than seven decades ago!

Steiner, from Hungary, was among many Jewish prisoners that were rescued by soldiers from their Nazi guards as they were being marched from Auschwitz to another camp.

Her future husband, John Mackay, then 23, was among the soldiers that rescued the group, according to Deadline News.

Mackay was in the London Scottish 1st Battalion and actually escaped himself from an Italian prisoner of war camp years earlier. Edith and John wound up meeting properly at a village hall that was organized to celebrate the liberation, and they’ve been together ever since.

In 1946, they married, moved to Scotland, and had two children together, Sharon and Peter.

Edith, now 92, and John, 96, live in a care home together in Dundee and they have just celebrated their 71st Valentine’s Day together by having a party.

Pamela Shaw, the activity coordinator at Bupa Calcarres Care Home, says, “John is a true gentleman. He is always checking in to make sure Edi (Edith) is happy, and the pair still refers to each other as ‘sweetheart’ on a daily basis. Their devotion to one another is clear to anyone who spends even a short time in their company.”

Their advice to young couples is to be romantic all year round- not just on February 14. “We’re having a little party for all our residents this Valentine’s Day, so it’s lovely to have such a real example of true love with us at the home,” Shaw said.