Former US senator finds love with a man at 90 but refuses to label himself
Harris Wofford has penned an essay about the “next chapter of his life”.
A former US senator – who once served as special assistant to President John Kennedy – has opened up about his relationship with another man.
At the end of this month, the 90-year-old – who was married to his wife Clare for 48 years – will exchange vows with the man he “wants to spend the rest of my life with”.
The ex-senator from Pennsylvania, who also served as n advisor to Martin Luther King, wrote about his journey in an op-ed piece for the New York Times this weekend.
Wofford’s starts his story shortly before his wife died from acute leukemia.
“For our three children and me, Clare was at the heart of our family,” Wofford writes.
“When I told her, ‘You’re my best friend,’ she would reply, ‘and your best critic.’ And when I said, ‘You’re my best critic,’ she responded, ‘and your best friend.’”
“We were both about to turn 70 when she died,” he continues. “I assumed that I was too old to seek or expect another romance.
However, during a trip to Florida, he met Matthew Charlton and was struck by “his inquisitive and thoughtful manner and his charm.”
“I knew he was somebody I would enjoy getting to know. We were decades apart in age with far different professional interests, yet we clicked,’ Wofford explains.
The pair began to travel together as friends, visiting both the US and Europe.
However, the pair soon realised that their relationship was developing into something more.
“We both felt the immediate spark, and as time went on, we realised that our bond had grown into love.
“Other than with Clare, I had never felt love blossom this way before.”
Woodford ends the essay by refusing to put a label on his new relationship – or dismiss the love he felt for his wife.
“Too often, our society seeks to label people by pinning them on the wall — straight, gay or in between,” he concludes.
“I don’t categorise myself based on the gender of those I love.
“I had a half-century of marriage with a wonderful woman, and now am lucky for a second time to have found happiness.”
