Couple Who Dated As Teenagers Find Each Other Again After 20 Years Apart

High school romances rarely survive the test of time. As people grow up and mature, they often drift apart or realize that they want different things. But in Alysa and Tim Mounce's case, their story defied these odds despite having been estranged for 20 years.

Alysa and Tim Mounce, 41 met in high school, twenty years ago. They dated for a while, broke up, and went on to marry other people. But then, both divorced, their paths crossed again!

Despite the years, they never stopped thinking about each other

After high school, both Alysa and Tim ended up going their separate ways, as life most often turns out to be.

"We were what you’d call childhood sweethearts in our senior year at high school," Alysa Mounce told Metro UK. "We ended up going our separate ways as a lot of people do after college."

Alysa and Tim met again in 2016, when both got divorced from their partners at the time. Tim was thinking of Alysa and sent her a message on Facebook. She answered, delighted to hear from him.

Tim sent me a message just after Christmas 2015. That was the first time I heard from him in 20 years.

Alysa Mounce to Metro UK

Alysa describes the rest as very natural. It was like no time had passed.

"When Tim messaged, we started talking as just friends and the history we had with other made things feel very natural and very organic, like it was meant to be," Alysa said.

"We picked up where we left off and it was fantastic. He was just like how I remembered him. He’s a very fun person and I realized I wanted that again. We started dating in the February and Tim proposed to me the following May. It all happened very quickly and by July 2016 we were married."

The reunion proved that 20 years had not changed anything: they were instantly attracted to each other.

They were both going through divorce at the same time

Before reconnecting with Tim, Alysa lived through a rough patch with her marriages.

Alysa's second marriage ended in September 2015 following a previous marriage which only lasted ten months. She shared that her relationship was not a healthy one and when Tim tried to reconnect with her, she instantly felt the difference.

I proceeded with my previous relationship when I probably shouldn’t have. I was desperate for a family life and structure, but the relationship was unhealthy.

Alysa mentions that the breakup was difficult on her. "I struggled with the trauma of the break-up and did grieve that it was over. I was angry at what happened and felt lost," she revealed.

"Tim had just joined Facebook when he messaged me, and he said he had been married for 15 years but was going through a divorce."

At first, Alysa tried to help him mend things with his wife. Her own experience with divorce had taught her a few lessons. "I actually encouraged him to try to work it out with his wife because I already knew the ramifications of a divorce."

But Tim's marriage was not meant to perdure. Instead, its ending was what led these two to reconnect.

Once we got talking and I remembered how fun Tim was, I realized I wanted to have that again.

Alysa Mounce

It was like the 20 years never happened

Tim invited Alysa to spend Valentine’s weekend with him, and they got engaged after three months of dating, with a wedding in the following July in Tim’s hometown of Newport, Oregon. The couple's four children from their previous relationships all attended the ceremony.

"It felt like I was marrying a friend as well as the person I love. It feels amazing to be loved for who I am, and I feel accepted. We are very comfortable around each other."

"I feel like I am living in a fairy tale and I never thought that would be me. The timing felt so right for us both and I had no worries over how quickly it all happened."

I am the happiest I have ever been now, and it just feels like it’s meant to be.

Alysa Mounce

Real connections never truly disappear

Tim and Alysa prove that a real connection truly stands the test of time. If you know you have that, it is always worth putting in the effort to reconnect with that special person, be it a friend or a lover.

As Tim an Alysa's story shows, sometimes, it only takes a message on Facebook to reignite the spark.

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