A 90-year-old man rescued her 89-year-old wheelchair-bound wife from a fire at their home in Asheboro, North Carolina, on Thursday night, and he is thankful to God for giving him the extra strength to do so.
Arthur and Rosemary Schneider have been married for almost 70 years, the couple's daughter, Bernadette Such, told ABC News on Sunday.
Such, 58, said her mother is suffering from Parkinson's disease and dementia.
"He takes care of her, he does everything for her," Such said. "She can feed herself. That's the only thing she can do."
The fire appeared to have been caused when a lightning bolt struck a transformer near her parents' home, Such said.
Schneider gave his account of what happened when asked by reporters. "She was in a wheelchair in our bedroom which is far into the house," he said. "And I was in there with her, tending to her. And all of a sudden there's this bolt of lightning, and I think the lightning must have hit the power in the house and blew the power out."
As electricity went off, smoke came out from the kitchen, he said.
Such said her father immediately led her mother out of the house until they reached the porch. But he could not bring her down the porch because of the steps, so he decided to call a neighbour for help.
Schneider ran to the neighbour's house, a distance about the length of a football field, without his cane.
"I guess God gives us a little strength when we need it," he said, adding that he did not know how he managed to walk, and even run, without a cane.
Rosemary was able to get off the porch with the help of the neighbour before the firemen came.
Arthur and Rosemary met through his cousin and she sent him letters while he was serving during World War II. They became a couple after his return.
"They're just two people who love each other very much," Such said.
The couple—who will celebrate their 69th wedding anniversary in October—have nine children, 21 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
