Religious Parents Tear Apart Teen Sweethearts, They Meet and Fall in Love Again 70 Years Later

They were seated in rocking chairs and looking into one another's eyes. This pair had broken free of the chains of their childhood. The two were ready to utter words to one another they could never have imagined speaking.

Ed Sellers and Katie Smith, who lived next door to each other, were high school sweethearts. Well, at least they tried to be.

Their families' religious and conservative mindsets stopped them from experiencing a typical teenage romance.

At ages 14 and 15, the two attempted to go on dates. But, this was only possible through chaperoning and stringent rules.

The closest the two wannabe love-birds got to experience what is now considered an average teen exchange was a shared kiss.

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STAMPING OUT THE LOVE

Albeit, this smooch occurred two whole years into the courtship. Smith's granddaughter, Stefanie Helsel, said:

"It dwindled out because it was so stifled because of the constraints on their dating."

The duo went their separate ways. They found partners that they wed and enjoyed decades of loving marriages.

NEVER TRULY FORGOTTEN

Sadly, Smith's husband passed away from cancer. This tragedy happened about a decade following the death of Sellers' wife, who battled the effects of Alzheimer's disease. After taking the time to process the passing of his wife in 2015, he chose to contact his old flame.

He then discovered that she lived in Kannapolis, North Carolina, and after seven decades apart, he made his way down there to meet her. He attempted to call Smith's number that he found in a phonebook on arrival.

AS IF IT WERE YESTERDAY

Initially, she didn't answer the phone, but he continued, and finally, Smith's son answered and handed the phone to his mother. They both decided to meet up in person. Smith expressed:

"He went to come [to] see me after all those years, and when I saw him, it just felt natural. He was the same, just older!"

The pair spent a significant amount of time together for the next two years until Sellers popped the question. Although anxious about dishonoring her late husband, the besotted Smith eventually agreed.

THE ROCKING WEDDING

In 2017, an 88-year-old Sellers sat across from his wife-to-be, 89-year-old Smith. They both said their "I do's" while seated in rocking chairs in Stanley, North Carolina. Stefanie Helsel recollected:

"My mom and I were talking and thinking, 'There's no way they're going to be able to stand up the whole time.'"

These chairs represent that true love is never lost -- no matter how much two individuals have pulled apart or how many decades they have spent separated from one another.

A MATCHMAKER FROM ABOVE

As this elderly couple exemplifies, love can bloom and reignite at any age. For Amy Giberson and Justin Pounders, their love story began as toddlers.

The tiny two enjoyed a short-lived, innocent romance until Pounders moved away. Decades later, he found another remarkable woman, Adrianne Roberts, who he was planning on marrying.

Tragically, she was sexually assaulted, attacked, and left to die. Although mortified, Pounders eventually found his way back into the dating world.

He went on a date with a woman called Amy Giberson. The two clicked immediately but had no idea that they were childhood sweethearts until later.

Eventually, they got married, believing that Roberts brought them together. Love is a mysterious force, but it's better not to question the circumstances and timing -- Rather, enjoy the ride.