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Acadia Parish couple goes on date in same car they had when they first met

Posted at 3:10 PM, Apr 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-12 16:10:09-04

An Acadia Parish couple is facing a tough road ahead, but on Wednesday, the two had a chance to reminisce and make new memories.

The powder blue 1959 Ford Galaxie is more than just a car for Shelton Latiolais and his wife Marilyn. It is a replica of the one they had when they first met.

"I’m not really sure if she wanted me or if she just liked the car," he laughed.

Turns out she liked both. This summer, the couple will celebrate 58 years of marriage.

They bought this car four years ago and made it their project.

"The goal was to remember the times we had as young people. It was just a thing we want to do to bring back those memories that were fading out fast," said Shelton.

In this car, they made new memories, until a few years ago, when Marilyn suffered a number of health setbacks….she’s now in hospice care.

With the help of Compassus Hospice Care, the Latiolais’ fired up the old Galaxie for one more trip down memory lane.

"I said because it’s a memory thing and we would do it as partners and go to town and get an ice cream get some gas in the car and kind of ride around in the car when we were teens. And I said I don’t care to go anymore without her you know it’s not any fun and the car was the thing that brought memories back," said Shelton.

So they had ice cream sundaes at sonic. Just like the good old days.

"I was scared that she’d spill it on the seats but look I have the towels here," he teased.

Everyone from the hospice, all her nurses and their family, gathered at the family home to wave them off to their date.

"You forget what really means something in life. It’s the small stuff. It’s you know taking a ride over Sonicnic. It don’t mean much to people in the fast world but to her, it’s a big thing," said their son Robbie.

For Marilyn, her favorite part of the date, "eating the sundae," she laughed.

"Thank you for this day and we’re going to remember it, you know, it’s going to be with us," Shelton said tearing up.

It’s one more date, they’ll never forget.