RACHEL BELLE

‘We kiss quite frequently’: Seattle couple celebrates their 71st Valentine’s Day together

Feb 14, 2022, 11:54 AM

Amira, Valentine's Day...

Victor and Regina Amira are still very much in love after more than 70 years together. (Photo by Rachel Belle/KIRO Newsradio)

(Photo by Rachel Belle/KIRO Newsradio)

Seattle lovebirds Regina and Victor Amira are 90 years old and, in honor of Valentine’s Day, they shared the story of how they met more than 71 years ago.

“July 15th, 1950, happened to be a very rainy day,” said Victor, who remembers every detail of that day.

Eighteen-year-old Victor was passing the time at a friend’s house.

“And his younger sister came down [the stairs] with this girl,” Victor said. “There was a theater at that time on 29th and Cherry called Madrona Theater. Normally they would have walked there, but because it was pouring down rain they asked if we would drive them.”

So Victor, his friend, his friend’s sister, and Regina all went to the movies.

“When I’d go to a movie theater, I’d try to get a seat on the aisle so I could put my [long] legs in the aisle,” Victor said. “But for some reason, that I can never explain to this day, I did not do that. Apparently the movie wasn’t really interesting so I started looking around. I looked to my left and I did a double take. As strange as it may seem, all of a sudden I’m madly in love with this girl who just happened to be sitting next to me. I’m not kidding, this is exactly what happened! I didn’t know her, I’d never spoken to her. I thought, my god, what’s going on here?”

Regina grew up on the island of Rhodes and in Morocco, and had immigrated to Seattle with her family just a few years earlier.

“For at least three weeks I couldn’t get this girl out of my mind and I wanted to find a way to go speak to her,” Victor said. “But I was 18 and bashful.”

Not long after, Victor was invited to a party.

“So we went to the party, and you know who I danced with almost the entire night? This girl,” Victor said. “But just the same, I couldn’t get up the nerve to speak to her, I don’t know why! But I did kiss her on the cheek. Yes, I did!”

Days went by and Victor couldn’t take it any longer.

“Right after dinner, I’m going to go and do this once and for all,” he remembers telling himself. “I drove up to her house and went up to the porch and I said, ‘Would you like to go for a drive?’ I held my breath, and lo and behold she said, ‘Yes.'”

“And that little three-letter word led to a lifetime of love,” he added. “We’ve been driving together for 71 and a half years, we’ve now been married 69 years, and I am still crazy about her every single day.”

Gee & Ursula: Celebrating Valentine’s Day as a long-time married couple

More than 70 years later, one of their favorite things to do together is go on drives.

“At this age, he’s still a good driver,” Regina said. “And I’m a good front seat driver, too.”

So what’s the secret to being happily married for nearly seven decades?

“No secret,” Regina said. “You just have respect for one another and do the best you can.”

They do kiss before they go to sleep every night.

“Oh, yes, absolutely, and during the night we get up and go back to bed and kiss,” Victor said. “We kiss quite frequently.”

“Telling each other more than once a day that we love each other,” Regina added. “That’s very, very special.”

Are they still intimate?

“I’m not going to answer that!” Regina rightfully replied.

“I plead the fifth amendment!” Victor laughed.

We spoke for about an hour, but by the end of the conversation I still needed some clarity: How did he fall madly in love with a person that he had never spoken to before?

“I have to honestly tell you, here we are, 71 and a half years later, and I am constantly waking up during the night wondering how in the world did that happen. I can’t explain it,” Victor said.

“I would call it a blessing,” Regina said.

“We are constantly saying thank you god, thank you god, thank you god.”

Listen to Rachel Belle’s James Beard Award nominated podcast, “Your Last Meal.” Follow @yourlastmealpodcast on Instagram!

Rachel Belle

Rachel Belle...

Rachel Belle

Belle: This isn’t goodbye, it’s see you later

After 20 years in news radio, I'm leaving my post at KIRO Newsradio to focus on making my podcast "Your Last Meal" full-time!

10 months ago

emily post etiquette...

Rachel Belle

Emily Post’s “Etiquette” goes modern: Advice on pronouns, hugging

In 1922, Emily Post published her very first etiquette book. Since then, 18 editions have been published by five generations of Posts.

11 months ago

Friluftsliv...

Rachel Belle

Combat winter blues with friluftsliv, the Nordic tradition of being outside

Friluftsliv is part of the culture in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Denmark, places that are darker and colder than Seattle in winter.

11 months ago

small talk...

Rachel Belle

Most Americans hate small talk, but Seattleites continue talking about weather

Out of 1,000 people surveyed, 71% said they prefer silence to small talk and 89% of Gen Z use their phones to avoid making small talk.

11 months ago

(Igordoon Primus/Unsplash)...

Rachel Belle

Seattle sperm bank in desperate need of Black donors

Only 2% of American sperm donors are Black men, which is causing a lot of heartache for women specifically looking for a Black donor. 

11 months ago

Photo courtesy of Rosie Grant...

Rachel Belle

Woman cooking recipes engraved on gravestones says they’re all ‘to die for’

You know that recipe your family requests at every holiday, potluck and birthday party? What if you had it engraved on your tombstone?

11 months ago

Sponsored Articles

Swedish Cyberknife...

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

September is a busy month on the sports calendar and also holds a very special designation: Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Ziply Fiber...

Dan Miller

The truth about Gigs, Gs and other internet marketing jargon

If you’re confused by internet technologies and marketing jargon, you’re not alone. Here's how you can make an informed decision.

Education families...

Education that meets the needs of students, families

Washington Virtual Academies (WAVA) is a program of Omak School District that is a full-time online public school for students in grades K-12.

Emergency preparedness...

Emergency planning for the worst-case scenario

What would you do if you woke up in the middle of the night and heard an intruder in your kitchen? West Coast Armory North can help.

Innovative Education...

The Power of an Innovative Education

Parents and students in Washington state have the power to reimagine the K-12 educational experience through Insight School of Washington.

Medicare fraud...

If you’re on Medicare, you can help stop fraud!

Fraud costs Medicare an estimated $60 billion each year and ultimately raises the cost of health care for everyone.

‘We kiss quite frequently’: Seattle couple celebrates their 71st Valentine’s Day together