Imagine being sent to the principal’s office for a stolen kiss on the school bus.

That’s exactly what happened to Michigan high school sweethearts Bill Hassinger and Joanne Blakkan over 70 years ago.

Fast forward to today, and this charming duo has rekindled their teenage romance in a tale that’s as heartwarming as it is surprising.

“Believe it or not, we’re in love at our age,” Joanne, now 92, shared with PEOPLE magazine.

Her words echo the timeless adage that love knows no age.

“I want his hugs and kisses and he feels the same way. It’s just like when we were teenagers.”

Their journey back to each other is like a movie script.

After graduating in 1949, Joanne left for college, and they lost touch.

Bill, 90, had a distinguished career, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel from the Michigan State Police.

Joanne, meanwhile, married, had three children, and became a widow in 1989.

Bill also married, had a family, and faced the loss of his wife in 2021 after 68 years of marriage.

“We went our separate ways,” Joanne recalls.

“I had lived alone all this time, and I certainly wasn’t looking for love or a man. I was content. But he was always in the back of my mind. I loved that young boy.”

The spark was reignited when Joanne and her daughter Linda were preparing for a 73rd high school reunion in 2022.

Curiosity led Joanne to reach out to Bill, and what started as a trip down memory lane over the phone soon turned into a lunch date.

Bill humorously notes, “She didn’t look anything like I remembered her 73 years ago. I guess life will do that to you.”

Yet, he found that her eyes still sparkled with the same vivacity he remembered from their high school days.

“We just went back to the same feelings for each other,” says Bill.

“We’re just as much and more in love today than when we were teenagers.”

Linda, Joanne’s daughter, recalls a green bracelet in her mom’s jewelry box, a high school gift from Bill, which Joanne wore again when they reunited to watch a football game.

Their love story is proof of the unpredictability of life and love.

“Neither one of them were looking for this,” Linda observes.

“My father died and she never dated after that. I don’t think she would’ve dated anyone besides Bill. Both sides of the family are thrilled.”

Now, the couple cherishes every moment together, spending weekends and holidays like Valentine’s Day in each other’s company.

They enjoy simple pleasures like playing cards, working puzzles, and just being together.

“No one knows how much time you have,” Joanne says.

“Both of us are in reasonably good health for our age and mentally alert. So we want to enjoy our time here.”

Their story isn’t just about rekindled love; it’s about compromise and joy in the golden years.

While Joanne loves her daily walks, Bill joins her more for the company than the exercise.

Their happiness is infectious, leaving everyone around them, including their daughter Linda, feeling “giddy.”

As they’ve become local celebrities, even strangers are touched by their story, often treating them to lunch.

Joanne sums it up perfectly: “We are having a ball.”

See the high school sweethearts love for each other in the video below.