Our Stories: Old love never dies

Weddings are only one part of our family’s love stories. There are the stories of how people met, and the stories behind these relationships connect us to our family and their lives (and loves).

Christina Mellgren from Sweden shared the heartwarming story of her aunt Sigrid and uncle Malcolm, who finally got together after meeting 30 years previously. It is a truly inspiring love story of how love endures.

Sigrid, who lived in Björkelund, was born in 1907, and lived with her parents Johan Frederick and Hulda Burman. When she was 17, a Swedish-American family moved nearby.

The son, Malcolm Nelson, and Sigrid fell in love and began to plan their future. Malcolm would return to Los Angeles, California, and wanted Sigrid to join him. Unfortunately, their were many obstacles in their way. She had difficulty travelling so far from the family, and the couple did not have enough money.

Sigrid’s father Johan was a carpenter and often unemployed, so her mother Hulda supported the family by working at a cafe. The family could not pay for Sigrid’s ticket.

Malcolm thought he would return to America, work and save money to bring his beloved Sigrid to America. But the stock market crashed in 1929, and he lost his savings. They began to lose hope of a future together.

Sigrid and Malcolm continued to write to each other into the 1940s, but stopped as the war began. When Malcolm returned from fighting, he married an Irish woman named Mary. They began to save money to visit relatives in Europe. After a few years, however, Mary died of cancer. Before she died, she told Malcolm: “When I die, you should take our savings and go to Sweden to find your Sigrid.”

During all these years, Sigrid had been living at home with her mother and younger sister. She had said she was never interested in any other boy apart from Malcolm.

In 1952, when Christina was 10, her father called home to tell her mother that Malcolm was back in town and had invited him to the house. Her mother immediately called Sigrid to let her know that Malcolm was back and to invite her. Sigrid responded: “If he wants something, he can come to me.”

Malcolm went to Christina’s home and called Sigrid with her mother, and before he could hang up the phone, Sigrid arrived.

And so began the second part of their love story. They rekindled their love during the spring and summer and before Malcolm had to return in the fall, the couple became engaged. Sigrid took an English course, and in spring traveled with a cousin to New York. She met Malcolm in Minneapolis, Minnesota where they were finally married, after almost 30 years.

The couple lived in Los Angeles until 1966 when they returned home to Sweden.

Do you have a beautiful love story in your family of reuniting or rekindling love after many years? Let us know in the comments below.