Nursing home surprises resident, wife with special meal to celebrate 53 years of marriage

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT/Gray News) - An Omaha couple celebrated 53 years of love with a special meal this week.

Daniel Thomsen is a long-term care resident at Emerald Nursing and Rehab Omaha. His wife, Diane, visits him every day.

On Tuesday, staff at the nursing home brought their favorite restaurant — Brother Sebastian’s — to them. The restaurant is known for its unique setting, themed like a monastery.

The nursing home staff tried to mimic that same dining experience, complete with soft music, classic china, and the couple’s favorite menu items.

The couple said the key to their many years of marriage has been resilience.

“Some people would run and shy away from the hard part. ‘It’s not working for me. It’s too tough.’ But you just have to hang in there and be there.”

And Tuesday’s celebration was doubly special for Diane. It isn’t just her anniversary, but also her birthday.