In an interview with a Turmush correspondent, Almaz shared that he carefully prepared for the anniversary celebration of his grandparents to make the day especially memorable.
“Grandpa got married at 26, and grandma at 22. They tied the knot on January 20, 1976. My sister and I developed a plan in advance: first, we took them to a café, then to the cinema. After the movie, we prepared a photo zone and invited them there. The reaction of grandpa and grandma was touching—they couldn’t hold back tears of joy, as they usually saw such surprises only on screen or through a phone. Passersby were also amazed by what was happening,” he said.
“Today, it has become fashionable for young people to propose to their beloved ones. When people see a couple that has lived together for half a century, they can't help but express kind words,” Almaz added.
He also noted that his grandparents now live in Karakol, close to him. “Having received their blessing, I also hope to find my soulmate and live happily until I’m a hundred,” A. Akmatov shared.
The couple, who have celebrated fifty years together, are parents to five children and also take pride in their 19 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
“Grandpa and grandma say that we are a large family since both were educators and worked for a long time before retiring. Grandpa taught animal husbandry and veterinary medicine at an agricultural college and became the deputy director,” he said.
Grandma, for her part, worked as a primary school teacher at the Ak-Bulun secondary school in the Tyup district. Even now, her students keep in touch with her and visit. If everything goes well, we plan to gather the whole family and hold a big celebration in the spring, inviting close and distant relatives,” A. Akmatov added.
