Involving Franz Müntefering - He desires to extend his lifespan.
Franz Mu Ontfering (84) was suffering from a serious illness. The former German deputy chancellor seems to be on the road to recovery, as he indicated in an interview with "Bild am Sonntag." The former politician also discusses his age and his marriage to his younger wife Michelle Mu Ontfering (44), who is also a politician.
Franz Mu Ontfering wishes to live longer
He had been sick for a while and found it difficult to get out of bed each morning. The former SPD chairman, who underwent heart surgery, describes the operation as "quite a big deal." He wasn't scared of not surviving the procedure. "I started thinking about death for the first time in my life. The doctors said, that's how it goes. I said, okay, I trust you. Give me a little more time, I want to live a bit longer."
As a politician, he was always on the move, but these days, his third wife Michelle is very busy. He has promised her that he would not take on more than two appointments per week - he still needs to take care of himself. His wife is a great source of support for Mu Ontfering, who used to walk five kilometers every day until early 2022 and then suddenly found himself "on a downward slope." Michelle has been with him through it all. "She's basically pushed me through everything. That's still the case today." The two support each other "as much as possible" to live their lives. They've been married for almost 15 years, having tied the knot in December 2009.
Michelle motivates Mu Ontfering's zest for life
In January, Mu Ontfering's new book "Take life as it is. Don't let it be too much" was published. "The love of life is what drives everything we do. [...] Life is a unique opportunity we have," says the 84-year-old about it. He is also somewhat motivated by the significant age difference between him and Michelle: "It revives my ambition that we can go through life together without causing a fuss from others." She both encourages and pushes him - and he feels "fit enough" for their summer vacation, which is planned for later this year. He hopes to reach 90. "A few more years would be nice," says Mu Ontfering.
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Franz Müntefering, at the age of 84, is recovering from a serious illness and expressing a desire to live longer. He credits his third wife Michelle Müntefering, who is 44 years younger, for motivating his zest for life and supporting him through his health challenges. Despite his age, Franz is still active and hopes to reach 90, finding inspiration in their significant age difference. In her role as his wife and political partner, Michelle encourages and pushes Franz, helping him maintain his fitness and enthusiasm for life.
