Man serenades his longtime girlfriend at assisted living home window

A Boston man decided to serenade his longtime girlfriend at the window of her assisted living home since he can’t visit her because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ed Oliver Bohld stood under an umbrella Thursday with his guitar and sang “You Are My Sunshine” as Mary Lou watched from inside.

“You make me happy, when skies are gray. Like today,” he sang while pointing at the rain, in a video from CNN affiliate WCVB.

Bohld told WCVB that Mary Lou has been at the facility for five years and that he visits her every day.

Massachusetts has issued guidelines to restrict all non-essential visitors at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other long-term care facilities to slow the spread of the virus. The state is letting families visit loved ones in hospice and other end-of-life situations.
There were 328 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Massachusetts as of Thursday afternoon, according to the state’s website.

Bohld told WCVB that he had ridden his bike to the Compass on the Bay Memory Support Assisted Living home Wednesday to sing to Mary Lou, but wasn’t able to see her.

A spokeswoman for Senior Living Residences, which runs the facility, told CNN that Mary Lou was doing an activity when he arrived, so they arranged for him to visit the next day.

“If he wants to come every single day to serenade, we are happy to accommodate him,” Lee Larkin said.

She said residents are under quarantine but may get together in groups of less than 10 people, as long as they stay at least 10 feet apart.

Residents are encouraged to take walks and even go outside if the weather cooperates.

She said staff members are arranging Skype calls and other virtual visits between residents and their loved ones.

“It’s so scary for families,” Larkin said. “We’re really trying to calm everyone’s fears.”
On Thursday, a staff member brought Mary Lou to the window to see Bohld.

She clapped when he finished singing and someone put a cardigan over her shoulders.
“I will see you soon. All of this will be over eventually,” Bohld said in the WCVB video. “I love you very much. I miss you.”