LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Now some proof that true love is timeless. From Colorado Public Radio, here's Ryan Warner.
RYAN WARNER, BYLINE: In the depths of the pandemic, Ken Felts came out of the closet at age 90 on Facebook.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
KEN FELTS: There comes a time when you grow old that you have to face up to how you have lived your life, to face up to your inner self. I have always had two personas, the one out in public...
WARNER: The Navy veteran had been journaling when memories surfaced of a man he dated in the 1950s. Philip had blue eyes and a killer smile. They were happy together.
FELTS: The fellowship, the holding hands, the closeness, even now...
WARNER: It's still really visceral, huh?
FELTS: Very much so, yes.
WARNER: Do you think that that's proof it's true love?
FELTS: It must be because it's hung on for 60 years now.
WARNER: Felts, though, was determined to be straight. He left Philip and married a woman. They had a child, then divorced. In 2020, his daughter was the first person he told he was gay. They were even on StoryCorps together. I asked Felts if he wanted to get married again.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
FELTS: No.
(LAUGHTER)
WARNER: You've been there, done that?
FELTS: That's correct. That's correct. Now, of course, if it was Philip, I'd marry Philip.
WARNER: Philip, however, had died by then. Felts' story went viral. And nearby Johnny Hau read one of the articles about him.
JOHNNY HAU: Watching his story of, you know, never too late to come out, that inspired me to write to him, letting him know that I really found encouragement from his story.
WARNER: Hau didn't expect a response but got one. And the two went on a date. It was a love connection, inspiring Hau to come out of the closet and Felts, now 93, to change his mind about marriage.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Ken, you have chosen Johnny to be your husband? Will you stand by him through whatever may come?
FELTS: I will.
WARNER: On July 8, they exchanged rings in their backyard in Arvada, Colo. And Felts was once again inspired to write - a poem for Johnny.
FELTS: Near the end of my days and in the heat of my night, I found a great love, whom I shall ever hold tight. We explore our new world with breathless delight.
WARNER: For NPR News, I'm Ryan Warner in Denver.
(SOUNDBITE OF MESSAGE TO BEARS' "FAREWELL, STARS") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.