When a boy who was 12 and a girl who was 10 got married, they didn’t know what would happen to them. Even though they had been through some of the worst things in life, the couple said they still loved each other after 91 years.
The story of Zechariah and Shama’a is like no other. The young couple spent the first years of their lives in Yemen, where they were raised as orphans and got married at a very young age because that’s how things were done there.
People in Yemen used to like it when orphans got married when they were about 10 to 12 years old. Zechariah and Shama’a also did what was expected of them and moved in together. They had no idea that their lives were about to change.
Getting through Troubled Times
Shama’a remembered that she and her husband never lived a luxurious life. After she married Zechariah, she lived in a donkey barn because the young couple had no home or family. She admitted to it:
“We had problems. We had been through the worst kind of suffering. “No, there isn’t any.”
But when things didn’t go as planned, the couple didn’t give up or get down on themselves. They became each other’s strength, and one day they saw their lives get better.
Leaving Their Land
In 1948, Zechariah and Shama’a were among the first people of their faith to move from Yemen to Israel. After going through hard times in their hometown, the couple started a new life in a place they thought was safe.
When asked what made them happy as a married couple, Zechariah gave a simple answer.
Zechariah and Shama’a had a fresh start when they moved to the new country of Israel. In addition to making their lives better, the couple had 11 children.
He loved playing jokes.
When asked about his kids by a BBC News reporter, Zechariah joked, “I already can’t remember how many there were.” At the time of the interview, they also had 64 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Zechariah said that his wife was the “first and last woman” he was going to marry. He loved making fun of Shama’a because he knew she liked his jokes. During the interview, they said that they had been married for 91 years.
Zechariah joked, “I never kicked her out.” Then Shama’a said something, and Zechariah asked, “What? Did I throw you away?”
“Okay. Okay. Shhh!” Shama’a gave an answer. The woman liked her husband’s dry sense of humor. It was one of the things that kept their relationship interesting.
What Made Them So Happy Together
Some people might get bored living with the same person for more than 90 years, but Zechariah and Shama’a are not those people.
Shama’a said that she and Zechariah didn’t fight very often. When asked what made them happy as a married couple, Zechariah gave a simple answer:
“God put her in my path. I got lucky and won her over.”
Zechariah remembered that all the women around him liked him, but he chose Shama’a over them all. He also said that God helped him and his wife live together, and Shama’a said she was happy to spend most of her life with him.
How people reacted
When Zechariah and Shama’a’s story spread on social media, people couldn’t help but send them messages of support. Some of the comments are:
“They have been through a lot. We should be happy for them.”
“It’s a beautiful story about two people who found the family they were looking for.”
“Wonderful. Congratulations on finding love and keeping it for so long! You’ve been blessed by God.”
“It’s hard to believe that they’re both over 100!”