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At 87, Norbert Schemm found himself settling back into his medical bed. Bundled under the covers, head nestled on the pillow, Schemm wanted for only one thing in his old age: to share a last beer with his kids. His family, knowing how important such an act would be, gathered to his bedside to give Schemm a meaningful last drink.

All three Schemm siblings answered the call. When their father fell particularly ill on Sunday, they sat by his bedside to drink, chat, and share memories. On Tuesday night, the family posed for a picture that went viral. The next day, Norbert Schemm passed away.

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This family represents how loved ones can stay close throughout their lifetimes

My grandfather passed away today. Last night all he wanted to do was to have one last beer with his sons. pic.twitter.com/6FnCGtG9zW — Adam Schemm (@AdamSchemm) November 21, 2019

Life puts us all on all sorts of unexpected paths. Whether unexpectedly, undesirably, or willfully, families can find themselves split geographically or emotionally. The Schemms, despite how many years it’s been and the long-established courses of their lives, made it work for their father. Even the younger generation appreciated the love shared between family members. Schemm’s grandson, Adam, posted the touching image of his grandfather on Twitter after Schemm’s son Tom shared it on WhatsApp. He captioned it, “My grandfather passed away today. Last night all he wanted to do was to have one last beer with his sons.”

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Initially, Adam was unsure about sharing such an important, intimate moment with the world. His final instinct was right to do so, however, as the post resonated with hundreds of thousands of people. Comments, which numbered over 4,000, shared similar stories. Many people understood the value in sharing small but very lasting moments with a loved one at this final step of life’s journey.

Sharing a last beer and important words was all Norbert Schemm wanted

Orchestrating this moment meant a lot to everyone involved. Schemm had faced many battles but was still determined to enjoy the good in life. “My grandpa had been relatively healthy over the course of his life, but it was on the Sunday last week while he was in hospital that they realized it would be the end,” Adam said. He additionally stated, “That moment meant so much to my grandfather. You can tell they all know what’s gonna happen, and they just want to enjoy being together. They all have this look of closure

“It was the last 90 minutes that they really had him,” Adam revealed. “They drank beer and talked about family and he made everyone promise to take care of my grandmother. They were married for 65 years.”

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