AFTER overcoming the biggest health scare of their lives, Russell and Carole Dinte will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Friday, November 29.
Mrs Dinte was diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer in 2016 after Mr Dinte discovered a lump on her right breast while the pair were holidaying in a motor home.
She received a mastectomy almost straight away and has been fighting the cancer with chemotherapy treatments at Redland Hospital.
Mr Dinte said the treatment had put the cancer on hold, giving them the chance to look back on when they first met in the winter of 1969.
"I had probably been out of the army for two weeks when I went on a fishing trip with my brother, a friend and his son at Hervey Bay," he said.
"It was Saturday night and we went to a pub for a few drinks. We didn't think it was appropriate to have his son there so I took him to the pictures.
"I told him we would learn how to pick up chicks. I saw girl down the front of the theatre and went down there, spoke to her and she turned out to be my wife.
"I can't quite remember how he got back to his father but I do remember Carole and I sitting on the beach and talking until 3am."
Mr Dinte said it was love at first sight.
"The strange thing about it was I met her that night and that was it, I knew it was love."
"We didn't need any convincing because we both knew what we wanted."
Their love for each other was so strong they waited just two months to get engaged.
They purchased a house at Mount Gravatt soon after and married on November 29, 1969. Two boys, Bradley (48) and Daven (46), followed.
They moved to Thornlands in 1990 and have lived there ever since.
Mr Dinte said they had not argued once during their 50 years of marriage.
His advice to young couples was to make sure there was lots of love in their relationship before committing to marriage.
Read more local news here.
