The wife died before the dream trip – John found new love in her | the world

Englishman John Nurse had been looking forward to the trip to South America for years.

It was John's wife, Pam, who planned the trip the couple would take to coincide with his retirement. She planned the route they would take and the trains they would travel on.

But before the trip could become a reality, Pam was diagnosed with cancer and passed away at the age of 63. John and Pam had been married for nearly 40 years.

“I thought life was over for me,” John says.

But after his retirement, John's thoughts returned to the South American trip he was going to take with his wife. John concluded that this was what she would have wanted him to do and decided to do it in her honor.

In March 2004, John and his friend Chris set off on a six-week trip as planned by Pam. The best part of the trip will be the ten-hour train ride in Peru.

“We had a great time together”

John and Chris ended up at a table for four, where two American women, Judy Curtis and Judy Malody, were sitting. John immediately took a liking to Judy Curtis and her smile.

“I thought she was attractive,” says John.

The four of them got along well, and as the trip came to a close, Chris suggested that they all exchange email addresses with each other.

A few months after returning to the UK, John received an email from Judy saying, “If you are in the US, please contact us.”

“He seemed interesting so I called him,” says Judy, whose husband died several years ago.

John and Judy emailed each other for a few months but “it wasn't romantic” at first according to John.

When John mentioned that he was going to see his cousin in New York, Judy suggested that he also visit her in California. And so it became.

– John says: We had a good time together.

“It was a great relationship.”

When they traveled to Madeira a few months later, they both realized how well they fit together.

– John says: – Our relationship began in Madeira.

John still lives in England and Judy in the United States. But they make regular video calls and meet up whenever they can.

It has now been 20 years since they met. John feels that his time with Judy has given him a “second life” full of happiness and adventure.

Judy, 83, and John, 87, say they know they may soon not be able to continue the journey. But Judy says they have many “wonderful memories.”

“I feel special. It's been a great relationship,” John says.

Judy replies:

– Thanks honey.

John would rather see that he is destined to meet his second great love during the trip his wife has planned.

“It was as if Pam had planned it that way,” John says.