A man has tragically died just one hour after hearing the news that his partner of 35 years had been killed in a car crash.
Ron Niemi, 59, and Barbara Butler, 64, both passed away last Tuesday in Pigeon, Michigan.
In his dying breaths, a heartbroken Ron had told the couple’s children that he didn’t know what he would do without their mother.
The couple, described as lifelong companions, leave behind nine children and 25 grandchildren who are all struggling to deal with the tragic loss of both parents.
Ron Niemi, 59, and Barbara Butler, 64, both died last Tuesday in Michigan within an hour of each other. The couple leave behind nine children and 25 grandchildren (pictured above)
Barbara was killed when she crashed her car at an intersection in Huron County on the night of July 10.
Ron had started calling their children to inform them of the news when he collapsed an hour later and had to be rushed to nearby Scheurer Hospital.
His last words were: ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do without her’.
The couple’s son, Rick Niemi, told Fox 10 that he remembers taking the call from his dad.
‘His last words on the phone were, ‘I don’t know what I’m gonna do’. I said, ‘I love you dad. I’m gonna be there soon’,’ Rick said.
In his dying breaths, a heartbroken Ron (right) had told the couple’s children that he didn’t know what he would do without their mother Barbara (left)
But soon after he received another call from his sister Jesse.
‘I said, ‘Jesse I know. I know about mom. I’m on my way’. And she said, ‘no, it’s dad. He just collapsed. The ambulance just took him’. That was, in my head this is unbelievable.’
The couple’s children say Barbara and Ron were inseparable and the type of people who would always leave a mark on other people.
‘They had a lot of love for each other,’ Rick said. ‘Everybody just knew them as Barb and Ron. Everybody knew they were together. You didn’t really see one without the other.’
Barbara’s obituary said she loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She particularly enjoyed bowling, gardening, tending to her houseplants and flowers, going to garage sales, watching birds, shopping, drinking coffee, camping, shooting and collecting guns.
Meanwhile, Ron loved working on his truck, riding ATV’s, hunting, camping and shooting.