Diana Ghazaryan

Hakob Poghosyan

David Banuchyan

Aghakhan and Heghineh Zakaryan have been happily married for seventy years. Aghakhan is 92-years-old and his wife is 94.

The couple live in Dzoragyugh, a village in Armenia’s Gegharkunik Province.

They’ve raised eleven children – seven boys and four girls – and are now surrounded by 156 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In all, the extended family has sent 28 boys to serve in the army.

Argam, the youngest of the grandchildren, is currently serving in the military. Grandma Heghineh, drying her tears, says, “That one grandson is left. Let god take me after he returns.”

The couple was married in 1947, after Aghakhan returned from fighting in WWII. Aghakhan’s father was opposed to the marriage.

The man says he was love-struck and took Heghineh as his bride. “ I’ve never regretted it. She gave me eleven children, right?” says Aghakhan. Heghineh biggest concern is that her husband likes to drink, but complains that he drinks alone, never offering her a glass.