Two lifelong singles met in cardiac rehab. Then the 76-year-old nurse threw a rock to get his attention
Alan Sager told CBS News that he 'was alone, but wasn't lonely,' until he met Susan Guc
People may think they don't need romantic love in their lives, but love has other plans. 65-year-old Alan Sager was a former truck driver, and 76-year-old Susan Guc was a nurse. The two Michigan residents had remained single all their lives, but recently tied the knot. The most interesting part about their story was that they did not meet on an app or through mutual friends. They met in a cardiac rehabilitation center, and their story involved a rock that said "smile." The story was reported by CBS Evening News on November 7, 2026, and has reached one million views, more than 11,000 likes, and 902 comments.
Alone, but not lonely
Both Alan Sager and Susan Guc had their own reasons for being single. lives but As for Guc, this question kept her single. She asked, "If there would be anybody out there, who would I really want?" and her answer was nobody. "I was happy with that, I really was," she added. But a few years ago, both their lives changed. After going through heart procedures, Sager and Guc were placed in the same cardiac rehab program. That was where Guc saw Sager, and it was love at first sight.
'Never too late'
Guc was on a treadmill, while Sager was on a bike behind her. He did not see her, but she noticed he had a nice smile. Since he did not pay her any heed, she "threw" a rock that had the word "smile" on it at him. When Sager saw the rock, he told the news outlet, "I thought she was trying to tell me, 'Hey, you don't smile enough,' and I said, 'Well, I better look into this more.'" And that was how their love story started. Sager and Guc shared their story with the world to let others know that "it's never too late" to find love. Guc added, "I had thought that, but look what happened to me."
Old and in love
In 2025, TheSeniorList conducted a survey and found about 37 million unmarried Americans above the age of 50. But only one-third of them were interested in dating. 87% of respondents who were uninterested said it was because they already found happiness without romantic relationships. On the other hand, 66% said they would reconsider dating if they met the right person or someone under the right circumstances.
Another study by Pew Research Center in 2022 revealed that 14% of single Americans thought they were too old to date. Lastly, a poll by The Knot found that 9% of engaged couples admitted that they found love when they least expected it. Similar to Sager and Guc's story, neither of them was looking for love but found it anyway. They had been content living their lives as single, unmarried individuals, but after meeting each other, they decided to tie the knot.
'Shot her shot'
People in the comment section were touched and inspired by Sager and Guc's love story. @KatBlade58 wrote, "She shot her shot! Love it." @thenightporter noted, "They both seem very down-to-earth, easygoing and kind."
More on Scoop Upworthy
Woman who lost all hope in love is convinced her late grandfather led her to her soulmate
Share on Facebook
