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In an incredible tale of fate and serendipity, Chris and Kristen's love story proves that sometimes, the most unexpected beginnings lead to the most beautiful endings. Their journey from strangers to lifelong partners is a testament to the power of destiny, online dating, and the magic of human connection.
*Featured image contains photos by Mikhail NilovAs one incredible final act of love, one husband made certain that his wife was taken care of long after he was gone. And if this isn't the epitome of true love, I don't know what is.Husband's Legacy of LoveIn most marriages, household responsibilities tend to get divvied up between both partners. It's not uncommon for one person to take the lead in managing household bills and expenses.For forty-one years, X (formerly Twitter) user @AriThinks' father exclusively took care of all the household bills. In fact, he took such good care of them that his wife never had to pay a bill. Now, even in death, he's still doing it. In a tweet that's gone viral with over 5.2 MILLION views (because who doesn't want a love like this??) @AriThinks shares that her father passed away a few days ago.After he died, the family made an incredible discovery. Her father had paid off all the bills six months in advance so her mother could rest easy and take the time to grieve in peace. "My Dad passed a few days ago and my Mom doesn’t even know who he makes payments to because she’s never paid a bill," she wrote. "So we call and find out that like all the bills were paid up 6 months in advance." Not only did he pay the bills six months in advance, but he also put credits on the utilities, including gas, water, and electricity, that will last her FOR YEARS. Reaction to the Viral TweetIn addition to being viewed millions of times, thousands of people came forward to offer their condolences and to praise @AriThinks' father for his selflessness and unwavering devotion to his family."He loves her. Even death couldn’t take that away. May his sweet soul rest in perfect peace."@Lewa_Forbes via X"Accept my condolences but your father is truly an amazing man, RIP to him. Not all heroes wears capes... Salute," wrote @Nueladedoyinfi1."Wow, that peace to give her. Sorry for your loss. Condolences to you & your family," said @highlyher."So sorry for your loss. R.I.P. What an amazing thoughtful gift your father gave all of you! Oh my goodness to think that far ahead knowing all would need his foresight," Karen Williams commented.True Love Lasts ForeverThe commenters are right. It's not just the fact that the bills are paid that makes the gesture so heartwarming. It's the fact that this man had the foresight to ensure that his wife wouldn't have to shoulder the responsibility alone. Losing someone we love is one of the most painful and difficult things we have to endure in life. Sometimes it's all we can do to just keep breathing, never mind having to look after the day-to-day duties. By securing these essentials for his wife, he has provided her with a sense of security and stability during a time that feels anything but.His actions reflect a level of care, dedication, and consideration that goes beyond mere financial responsibility; it is love...in its purest form.He loved her so much in life that he wanted to make sure she was still okay in his death.Grand gestures of love are great but it's in the everyday, looking out for each other kind of ways, where true love is really found. It's in the small things people do for each other, just to make life easier. It's in sharing responsibilities so one person doesn't have to carry the burden alone. Even though he's gone, this husband's love for his wife lives on in his small gestures of kindness and care. And that? Is the kind of love that lasts forever.More from Goalcast:Woman Is Diagnosed With Dementia – So Her Husband of 55 Years Makes a VowShocked Mom Finds Dozens of Notes In Her Daughter’s Drawers – Realizes Her Husband Has Given ThemWoman Wakes Up to Husband’s Dirty Dishes in the Sink – Instead of Cleaning Up, He Left Her a Note With 3 Words
Bill Hassinger and Joanne Blakkan met on the school bus 77 years ago. It was 1947 and they were both students at North Muskegon High School in West Michigan. Joanne was a junior and Bill was a freshman.They became high school sweethearts, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. Not then anyway. Fast forward seven decades and the two have found their way back. To each other. High School RomanceBill and Joanne started off as friends. Every day, she would save him a seat on the bus. Despite their two-year age difference, they started dating and fell in love."[We] became more and more attracted to each other and then the next year was serious. In those days, you called it 'going steady,"' Joanne told Fox News.They were smitten. "One time we got called to the principal's office for kissing on the school bus."Joanne BlakkanJoanne graduated in 1949. She went off to college at Michigan State and Bill stayed behind, still in high school. She visited sometimes on weekends. But time and distance can be a cruel mistress and the couple drifted apart. They both found new loves, married, and each had three children. They Lived a Lifetime ApartBill married a classmate at 19, just six months before being drafted into the U.S. Army. He spent the next two years in Salzburg, Austria before returning home to enjoy a 32-year career with the Michigan State Police. He was married to his wife for 68 years — until her death in 2021.Meanwhile, Joanne was busy with her own career and family. After her husband died of a heart attack in 1989 at the age of 57, she was content to be on her own. For 73 years, Bill and Joanne never set eyes on each other. “We went our separate ways,” Joanne, now 92, said. “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.”And then in 2022, fate stepped in. Part of the planning committee for her 73rd high school reunion, Joanne was searching for her former classmates online when she thought of Bill. Curious, she decided to look him up. With the help of her daughter, Linda, she found him living 80 miles away. Seven Decades Later, They're ReunitedJoanne wrote him a letter. Within moments of receiving it, Bill was on the phone. Not long after they met for lunch. It was as if time had faded away. Within hours, the flame of first love was rekindled. It didn't matter that neither one was looking for love, love found them anyway. “We just went back to the same feelings for each other,” Bill said. “We're just as much and more in love today than when we were teenagers.”Now, the two spend as much time as their 80-mile commute allows, walking, talking, and playing cards. “We are having a ball,” Joanne said.And their families couldn't be more excited for them. “Neither one of them were looking for this,” Linda said. “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.”And in a sweet homage to teenage love, Joanne is once again wearing the green gem bracelet Bill gave her as a birthday gift, so many years ago. The couple are still trying to figure out what the future looks like as far as living arrangements. What they do know, is that they want to spend the time they have left together. Life’s Not Over Because You’re AgingIf there's anything we can take away from this nonagenarian romance, it's that we're never too old for love. And true love? Will always find a way, even if it takes 70 years. As for anyone questioning whether or not they should get into a relationship later in life? Bill and Joanne have one piece of advice. Don't wait."If you feel the love for each other, then just spend time together because life is short, and we realize that now, at our age, we don't know how much time we have together, but we're just making the most of every day," Joanne said. "Just go for it."More from Goalcast:Woman Goes With High School Sweetheart on a Date – Finds Out He’d Been Working on a Secret for MonthsHigh School Sweethearts Celebrate 50th Wedding Anniversary – Little Did They Know, They Would Be In “Tears” After Their DateHigh School Sweethearts Break Up After Graduation – 63 Years Later, One Phone Call Leads to Their Marriage
Jeri and Mike Wirtz are used to defying the odds.An interracial couple in the 1970s, prejudice and racism were far from a thing of the past despite the ground-breaking legalization of mixed marriages in 1967. It was truly them against the world. And now? It's them against cancer. And if love's got anything to do with it, cancer doesn't stand a chance. Interracial Couple Doesn’t Let Anything Stand in the Way of LoveThe year was 1976 when Jeri and Mike first laid eyes on each other by the pool at their apartment complex. Both in their mid-20s, Jeri was working as a model and fashion designer and Mike was with AT&T. It took Mike a week to summon up the courage to ask her out on a date, but then they fell hard and fast. "We knew that prejudice and interracial...you know, people were against it a lot. But that was something we were not going to let stop us," Jeri told Good Morning America.A year later, the couple wed at a small wedding chapel in Artesia, Cerritos in Southern California. Three years later they welcomed their daughter, Nicole and in 1985, their son Ryan was born. Now, 3 grandchildren and 46 years later, Mike and Jeri say a lot has changed in the world regarding acceptance and integration. "I just look around and I'm just amazed because it's totally, totally integrated with every race you could imagine," Mike said about his grandchildren's school in an interview with Good Morning America. And while the world may have changed over the years, one thing has remained steadfastly the same — they're still each other's "ONE." Even though it hasn't always been easy, nearly five decades later, they're still going strong. "We maintained our marriage because we both took our vows seriously and made a commitment to each other."Mike Wirtz via Newsweek"It's important to respect one another and not to try and change your partner, because at the end of the day, you fell in love with who they are. That's what makes them so special and unique."Becoming Instagram and TikTok FamousAt the age of 72, the couple decided to become content creators after their son posted a quick 10-second "teenage dirtbag" photo montage of his parents on TikTok. The video went viral with nearly 2 million people instantly falling in love with the duo.In just a few months, their social media has taken off. And one quick look at their reels and it's so easy to see why. Because true love? The kind that stirs the soul and is the stuff of Hollywood movies? Isn't dead.Thirty-eight million people have fallen in love with their love story.But it's not just their enviable love that has everyone in their feelings or the fact that they are living proof that even in the face of racism and discrimination, love always wins. It's also their infectious positivity, joy, and hope, even while battling cancer. Love Always WinsIn 2017, Jeri was diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer. Three years later, Mike also heard the dreaded words, "It's prostate cancer."After undergoing treatment, Mike is now cancer-free. And even though there is no cure for Jeri, she's choosing to live her life to the fullest. "I have fought through chemo and radiation and I refuse to give up," she wrote on one of her Instagram reels. She believes that anything is possible. And when you watch her unbridled joy and zest for life she makes you believe that anything is possible too. Jeri and Mike hope that by sharing their story, the good and the bad, they can inspire others struggling with their own life challenges. "I think so many people resonated with our story because we are real people, just living our lives despite whatever obstacles life throws our way. I hope we can inspire people to never give up and keep going," Mike said.So What Is Their Secret to Long and Lasting Love?As for how they’ve made it work all these years, they both say trust and respect have a lot to do with it. (Also, the fact that they both literally never seem to age doesn't hurt, probably)."First and foremost, you need to be friends who genuinely like each other. You can't mold each other into something you're not," Jeri advises."It's about accepting your partner for who they are, quirks and all, while they do the same for you," she continues. "And at the core of it all, it's about cultivating love, mutual respect, and unwavering trust in each other."Clearly, they've figured it out because it's definitely working for them. Jeri and Mike met at a time when interracial relationships were still being viewed through a lens of prejudice and discrimination. Despite societal pressures and negative attitudes, they chose each other. And regardless of what life throws at them, they're still choosing each other. As much as things change, so many things remain the same. As we continue to witness profound global divisions, their story of the power of love, strength, and resilience is more important than ever. More from Goalcast:Woman Finally Marries “True Love” 43 Years After Her Mother Forced Her to End Interracial RelationshipDad Of Interracial Family Admits To Confronting His Own Racial Bias – Learns Powerful LessonBlack Couple Helped Chinese-American Family When No One Else Would — Now, They Are Paying It Back in a Big Way
Just in case you think true love is dead, think again. In a real-life story straight out of The Notebook, one husband is making sure that his wife (who suffers from dementia) is living her best life. Each and every day. And if this doesn't make the most skeptical among us believe in the power of love, nothing will. All in the Name of LoveIt's been 55 years since Jim and Maureen of Sydney, Australia said "I Do." Their love story began on Queenscliff Beach, the site of their first date decades ago.It's a beach they still frequent multiple times a week.“Our first date was to go to Queenscliff Beach, that’s the first time I held Maureen’s hand,” Jim told the Manly Observer. "And every day when I come to the beach, we walk down to Queenscliff and I remind her that this is where we first held hands." "But she doesn’t understand,” he added, tears in his eyes.Sadly, four years ago, Maureen was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. In 2021, during a stint in the hospital, doctors told Jim that his wife had very little time left. Despite the fact that Maureen no longer remembered much of their life together, Jim decided then and there to make it his mission to make every day they had left count.He's held onto that promise. For three years...and counting. Husband’s Sweet Gesture for Wife With Dementia“My philosophy is each day, I want to give Maureen the best day she can have. That statement stems from when she came out of the hospital, and each day could have been her last," Jim said.Part of that includes taking Maureen for a lunch date and a stroll along their favorite beach at least three days a week. It was during their walks that Jim noticed something heartbreaking. Maureen would attempt to engage passersby, often reaching out to try to touch their hands. Almost always, she was ignored. Jim knew, after speaking to a friend whose father had dementia, that this kind of physical connection was a way for Maureen to communicate with folks around her. “He was telling me that, right at the end, the last days with his dad, they [communicate] by signals of squeezing hands and so on, so taking in a whole lot more than they realised,” Jim explained.Jim wanted to prove to his wife that while she may not remember who she is, she isn't forgotten. He enlisted the help of a local design and print studio, CRE8withJAZ.He had a t-shirt custom-made with the words, "My beautiful wife has dementia. Please say "Hello" to her," emblazoned across it.It worked.Spreading a Message About People With DementiaOnce Jim started wearing the shirt on their dates, people began to take notice of Maureen. In fact, the results were overwhelming.“What surprised me initially was that so many people were foreign tourists from all over the world," he said. And just by taking a moment or two to acknowledge the couple has made a real impact in their lives. “I’d really like to thank all the people that have stopped by and had a chat to Maureen, they really brighten her day, which brightens mine."Jim hopes sharing his story will spread an important message about people with Alzheimer's and dementia."[They] are living people and should be treated that way."He added that being a caregiver has given him a whole new perspective on the importance of seeing and validating the people around us. “I’m no expert, but as I walk along Manly Beach, I’ve been doing it for four years, I noticed a lot of people with some sort of handicap or were walking with a carer that looked lonely. I’ll go up to them and say hello, to have a chat to them and I think more people should do that and just notice the people around them.”The Love of a LifetimeIt's obvious that when Jim vowed to love, honor, and cherish Maureen through sickness and in health five decades ago, he meant it. As difficult and heartbreaking as it is to watch the person we've spent a lifetime loving slowly slip away, it is heartening to know that love still finds its way. And their grandson, Noah, confirms it. In a comment on social media, he wrote:"That’s my beautiful grandparents! I have never seen someone Iove another person as much as these two love each other and I hope I can take care of someone the way my Poppy does one day."It's stories like these that fuel the hopeless romantic in us. But they also remind us of just how precious love is.The reality is that none of us know how much time we have with the ones we love. And while we may not be able to control time or what life throws at us, we can do our best to make the most of every single minute. More from Goalcast:Dad With Dementia Has a Heartwarming Realization Right Before Daughter’s Wedding81-Year-Old With Dementia Gets Lost – Then One Viral Photo Shows Her Family What Actually Happened in the Forest82-Year-Old With Dementia Disappears Into the Freezing Cold – One Sanitation Worker Doesn’t Hesitate to Carry Her Into His Truck
When it comes to love we all dream of finding THE ONE — the one we'll grow old with. The one we'll laugh with, cry with, live with, and share our dreams and our fears with. We want the kind of romantic love that is the stuff of great Hollywood movies, like Allie and Noah in The Notebook and Carl and Ellie in Up. But as we go through life and experience heartbreak, it can be easy to become cynical. To question if that kind of love truly exists. But as it turns out, it does. TRUE LOVE ISN'T DEAD! And one photographer took the video to prove it. The Viral Video That Has People Around the World Swooning Photographer, Hannah Greenwood, was enjoying an afternoon at Znjan Beach in Split, Croatia, when an elderly man on the beach caught her eye. Intrigued by him, she started recording. "I just started filming a sweet old man carrying something and I had no idea where he was going…" Hannah wrote in a caption on her now-viral TikTok. She captured the elderly gentleman, dressed in a dark jacket, khakis, and a baseball cap, gingerly walking across the sand, cradling something in his weathered hands. He crosses the street to a woman (presumably his wife) sitting on a bench, a walking brace perched beside her. As he gets near, she cups her hands in response and he bends over, placing something carefully into her hands. Turns out, it's seawater. "He brought his wife sea water to touch!" Hannah Greenwood via TikTok In a mere 35 seconds, Hannah managed to capture the magic of an entire lifetime of love. When his wife couldn't access the sea, he brought the ocean to her...so they could experience it together. And if this isn't an act of pure, unadulterated love, I don't know what is. See for yourself (and try not to cry!) Reaction to the Sweet Moment The heartwarming video that has people believing in love all over again has garnered over 24 MILLION VIEWS from romantics all over the world. It has over 5.6 million reactions, and 26,000 comments, and has been shared all over social media. Because people love love. And say what you will about it, who among us doesn't want to experience a love like that? As commenter @hailseleiro put it, "To be loved is to be considered. what a beautiful moment." So beautiful, in fact, that it's bringing out people's inner poet. Tiktoker @gracie wrote, “'I would bring the ocean to you if you could not walk to it yourself' and now I’m crying." (*We're all crying*). TikTok user, @Zollie, commented, "With hands so old, yet firm and true, he captured the sea, in hues of blue. His love for her, in each tide he'd hold, a story of the sea, by his hands, was told." And @Ghost wrote, "She searched the entire world so she could find love in me, so in turn I bring her parts of that world, starting with the sea." Turns Out, True Love Is All Around Us While many people are still waiting for a love like this to come along (based on the sheer number of commenters sharing the sentiment, "Please let another human being love me this much," some lucky ones have already found it. "My dad took my mother to the beach for one final visit. Almost 24 hours round trip. She passed the next day, but she got to see her happy place one last time," shared one commenter. Another wrote, "My husband will walk the beach while I read and come back and present me with seashells. 'I scoured the whole beach for you,' he says." A third wrote, "I waited until I was 35 to meet a man like this. Never. F*cking. Settle." True Love Really Does Exist This elderly gentleman's sweet gesture for his wife speaks volumes of the depth of his love for her. And is undeniable proof that true love? Really does exist. When it comes down to it, love isn't found in big, sweeping gestures or expensive gifts. The truth is that true love, lasting love, the forever kind of love, is found in soft, simple, quiet whispers like these. The gentle moments where we feel truly seen and considered. The ones we share, hand in hand, just so we can experience life and all it holds for us, together. More from Goalcast: Couple Shops at Target When Their Toddler Yells at an Elderly Man Passing By – His Response Wasn’t What They Were Expecting Confused City Workers Observe an Elderly Man Sitting in His Car – When They Find Out Why, They Secretly Start Doing This Construction Worker Waves at Elderly Woman Looking Through a Window – Later, She Writes Him a Note That “Crushed” Him
The couple that eats chocolate together, stays together. At least, that seems to be true for retired Air Force veteran Mike Cain (93) and his long-time girlfriend Doris Jerman (94).Every night, the couple partakes in a "sweet" ritual and shares a Hershey's chocolate bar. It's something they've done for more than 20 years, ever since meeting each other at a seniors' dance. But in 2020, amidst COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders, their nightly tradition was threatened when their chocolate stash ran out. Not one to let some pesky global pandemic stand in the way of true love, Mike, unbeknownst to Doris and the staff at the retirement center where they live, pulled some serious James Bond moves and snuck out. His mission? To hitch a ride to the nearest dollar store so he could load up on their favorite chocolate bars. All in the Name of Love (And Chocolate)Armed with his walker, a reusable bag, and his thumb, Mike set out. He was prepared to walk the entire 3-mile round-trip if he had to. But, luckily for him (and not surprisingly), it didn't take long for someone to notice the 93-year-old hitchhiker on the corner of San Marino Drive in Lake San Marcos, California.Real estate agent, Richard Farmer, had just left his office to run home to grab a quick bite to eat for lunch when he happened to pass by the elderly man. It was hard to miss him. He was standing about 4 feet into the street, with his thumb out. Richard immediately did a U-turn to check on the unlikely hitchhiker to make sure he was okay. "My first thought was this guy was trying to get some food so I decided to spring into action," Richard wrote in a now-viral Facebook post. "I had him step up on the curb, I pulled my car over and spent 15 minutes wiping down the handles, seats, dash boards, etc with my Clorox wipes." Once they were both in the car, Richard offered to take Mike wherever he wanted to go but Mike had already made up his mind: He needed to get to the 99-cent store for those Hershey chocolate bars. “I was amazed. I’m like, ‘This guy must really be in love with this gal.'"Richard Farmer via NBC San DiegoA Sweet Mission AccomplishedThanks to Richard, Mike accomplished his goal and purchased a grand total of 35 Hershey chocolate bars to share with Doris. Enough to last them for at least a month or more. Richard then drove him home but before they parted ways, he made sure Mike knew to call him whenever he needed help. “I gave him my card and said next time [you] need some chocolate no need to try and hitch [a] ride, just give me a call and I look forward to meeting Doris,” Richard wrote on Facebook.As for Doris? She didn't even know Mike had gone missing. Good thing too. "I probably have to send the police after him," she said when she found out how far Mike was going to walk to get her chocolate.And while his mission may have been completed, it wasn't the end for Mike or Richard. Thanks to the power of social media, Richard's post about Mike's sweet gesture went viral. People couldn't get enough. Because really, who doesn't love a real, true, bonafide love story?? (And chocolate).Offers of chocolate bars for the lovebirds came pouring in, including from the big kahuna themselves: Hershey's Chocolate.Hershey's Heeds the CallIn another Facebook post, Richard shared that Hershey's reached out to him after hearing about Mike and Doris on the news. Not only did they provide the nonagenarians with a year's supply, but they also gave "a great amount" of chocolate to Richard as well. Attached was a note: "Richard! We love seeing heartwarming gestures out in the community and what you did for Mike was just that! Thank you for taking the time and kindly helping our friend. Enjoy! - Hershey's"Not only are the lengths Mike went to for the love of his life giving us major "now this is TRUE LOVE" vibes, but the fact that a complete stranger stepped up to make it happen is also pretty dang inspiring.All You Need Is love…and a Bit of Chocolate to Sweeten the JourneyCharles Schulz once famously said: "All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."Charles SchulzFor Mike and Doris, they have both. Society likes to make us believe that true love is found in the big gestures — diamonds, fancy dinners, writing in the sky. Like, the bigger the gesture, the greater the love.But if there is any takeaway from this story, it's this: It's in the little things where true, lifelong lasting kind of love, quietly blooms. Even something so small as a Hershey's chocolate bar. More from Goalcast:Dying Veteran Asks His Daughter to Do This One Thing for When He’s “Gone” – What She Did Instead Shocked HimWWII Veteran Has Kept a Photograph of a 14-Year-Old in His Pocket for 78 Years – Then His Mystery Girl Showed UpYoung Girl Tells Worried Mom She Talks to a Veteran Every Morning — Their Shared Conversations Are Surprising
The day Emily Leehan got married she wasn't just saying "I Do" to her groom, Joshua Newville; she was saying "I Do" to his 4-year-old son, Gage, as well.Not only was their wedding a union of two people in love but it was also a blending of two families and the start of their new journey together.So, the bride didn't just deliver one set of vows on her big day — she delivered two; one to her new husband AND one to her new stepson. While we're certain her vows to Joshua were beautiful, it's what she had to say to Gage and his heartfelt reaction that really takes the (wedding) cake. Spoiler alert: You're going to want to grab the tissues for this one.A Stepmother’s Heartwarming Vows to Her New StepsonAccording to CBS News, Joshua, a sergeant in the Marines, and Emily, a senior airman in the Air Force, dated for two years before getting engaged and tying the knot. Gage was just two years old when Emily flew into his life. Over the years, the two developed a special bond and it's this powerful connection that is clearly shown in the now-viral video of their sweet exchange.In the video, captured by wedding photographer Jessica Husted, Emily is reading her “vows” to little Gage as he gazes up at her. Fighting back tears she begins, “I want you to be safe and to try your hardest and to be a good person," adding, "Don't cry, baby.” Too late. Gage, overcome with emotion, throws himself at her, wrapping his arms tightly around her, sobbing. And now, literally, everybody's crying.Somehow, Emily manages to keep it together and press on."I know you and I will butt heads…" More sobs. "Except for right now," Emily jokes (because sometimes you gotta laugh to keep yourself from crying). As Joshua comforts his weeping son, Emily continues: "But I hope with all my heart that as you become a grown man, you will understand my methods and realize I have only done what’s best for you and that I love you.”She ends her vows by saying, "You are a special boy. You are so extremely smart, handsome, and kind to others." "You have helped shape me into the woman that I am today, and I may not have given you the gift of life, but life surely gave me the gift of you." Emily Newville*SOBS*Why a Stepmom Stepped UpOnce Emily finishes her vows she bends down and hugs Gage, eventually scooping him up in her arms because there's still a wedding to finish. Emily explains that she always knew she wanted Gage to be a part of the ceremony. "I wanted to involve him because when I was vowing to be Josh's wife I was also vowing to be his stepmom. I wanted him to feel special and to remind him of how much he means to me."She also knows just how special the step-parent—child bond can be. She has a special relationship with her own stepdad, who, along with her biological dad, walked her down the aisle.As for Gage's biological mother? She's sharing the love too.“As his mother I can say that she is an amazing step-mother to him,” Kali wrote in a Facebook comment. “I couldn’t have picked someone better. Gage is lucky to have her and I’m so thankful I can trust her to be there when I cannot be!”Blending families can be tricky. It comes with its own unique set of challenges. But family doesn't require blood, it requires love. Family isn't about sharing DNA; it's about sharing life. And in those times when we get to CHOOSE our family? When we get to look another person in the eyes and say, "I choose you," there's something to be said about the incredible power of that kind of love. More from Goalcast:Lifelong Bachelor Finally Gets Married at 93 – To the Woman He Met at His Sister’s Wedding in 1959Homeless Couple Couldn’t Afford to Get Married for 24 Years – Then a Stranger Throws Them a Surprise Wedding
Losing someone we love is the most unbearable grief. It is, as they say, the price we pay for love. There is little we wouldn't do for the chance to have just one more day with them or to hear their voice just one more time. For Dr. Margaret McCollum, it is this wish that kept bringing her back to a subway station in London. Every. Single. Day. For almost two decades.What makes this daily pilgrimage extraordinary is the simple yet profound reason behind it – the desire to hear her deceased husband's voice.A Voice Lives OnMargaret met Oswald Laurence while on tour in Morocco in 1992. He was working for the tourism company as a tour guide. It was the sound of his "most gorgeous voice" that first attracted him to her.It was a voice she would quickly grow to love. They stayed together until his death in 2007 at the age of 78.Back in the late 1960s, Oswald, an actor and voice artist, was hired to record the iconic "Mind the Gap" announcement for the London Underground's Northern line. The recording warns travelers to be careful of the gap between the train and the platform. For years, his voice played over the intercom, until eventually it was phased out of all of the stations except one: the Embankment Station.After Oswald's death and desperately missing him, Margaret started going to the station daily. She would sit on a bench and wait for the announcement to air. Just for the chance to hear the sound of his voice once again, saying "Mind the gap."To everyone else, they were just three simple words. But for Margaret, they held a lifetime of love. "Since he died I would sit and wait for the next train until I heard his voice," she told the BBC. "Knowing that I could go and listen to his voice was simply wonderful. It was a great comfort." For five years, this became her routine. Until November 2012. A Voice Is SilencedIn November 2012, Oswald's voice was silenced in the name of progress; his recording replaced by a new digital system.Margaret was devastated. She contacted staff at the Embankment Station, hoping to get a copy of Oswald's recording. The staff told her they'd see what they could do. And because apparently true love ISN'T DEAD, staff at the station, at London Underground, and at the Transportation for London office, all rallied together in the name of love and loss. And together they made the impossible possible.In an amazing display of humanity, archives were searched. Old tapes found and restored. A voice recording was digitized. An entire company-wide announcement system was altered. Reams of customary bureaucratic red tape were cut and in the end, eternal love prevailed. Margaret received a CD recording so that she could listen to Oswald in the comfort of her own home whenever she wanted. However, that wasn't the end of the line. At the time, London Underground director Nigel Holness, told the BBC, "We were very touched by her story, so staff tracked down the recording and not only were they able to get a copy of the announcement on CD for her to keep but are also working to restore the announcement at Embankment station."In March 2013, the restoration was complete.And Margaret once again heard the voice of her beloved announcing, "Mind the gap," over the loudspeaker of the Embankment Station.To this day, according to the London Transport Museum, Oswald's legacy lives on. The Northbound platform of the Embankment Station is the only platform along the Northern line that has a different, non-digital voice delivering the safety message — Oswald's. Three times for each and every train.A Beautiful Testament to Love’s PowerFor those among us who have lost a loved one, there is no greater wish than to be able to hold onto cherished memories. To have a piece of them live with us, long after they are gone. Margaret's enduring love for Oswald is inspiring. But so are the collective efforts of those who joined her in preserving Oswald's voice. A group of people who went so far out of their way to ensure that one person would still have a connection to the person she loved most. Loss is universal but so is love. And it was because of love, for a husband and for a fellow human being, that one man's voice lives on.More from Goalcast: 78-Year-Old Doctor Proposes to High School Crush After 60 Years Apart in an Airport – Proving the Power of True LoveWoman Is Forbidden by Dad to Marry Her Lover – Years Later, Her Daughter Discovers a Big Family SecretVeteran Spends 70 Years Searching for the Lost Love of His Life – At 91, He Finally Finds Her
Back in 1959, Frankie Avalon and Ricky Nelson were playing on the jukebox, Ben Hur was dominating the box office, and Joe Potenzano and Mary Elkind laid eyes on each other for the first time at his sister's wedding. Mary, now 83, was the groom's cousin and maid of honor. Joe, 10 years her senior, was the best man.Sixty-four years later, the duo is once again taking part in a wedding — only this time, it's their own. And their love story is finally coming full circle...six decades after it first began. The One Who Got AwayThe first time Joe and Mary met, sparks flew. "I thought he was cute," Mary recalls.They dated briefly but then life pulled them in separate directions. Mary, a professional dancer, went on to perform at Radio City Music Hall and toured Europe with a ballet company. Joe served in the army and graduated with an engineering degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey.In 1962, Mary got married. But not to Joe. And while he might not have been the groom, he did attend her wedding.Mary and her husband went on to have 3 children and stayed together until his death, nine years ago. Joe remained a bachelor. That is, until now."I was lonely, and I had very few friends left," Joe told NJ.com. "But I decided that being lonely was not an option I was willing to die with."The consummate bachelor was finally ready to make a move. Over the years, Mary and Joe would periodically see each other at various family gatherings. However, they always kept their distance.But then last year, while they were both attending a family christening, Joe finally summoned up the courage to ask Mary out. She said yes.A Romance RekindledThe two started dating; enjoying dinners and movies, and spending hours talking on the phone. "I say this unashamedly. I fell in love with her and she told me she fell in love with me," Joe said. "What else do you want?" You could say their love was written in the stars."I had actually wondered about Joe off and on — he'd attended my wedding, and we always saw each other at christenings and Christmas parties," Mary told the Washington Post. "I have even wondered a few times what life would have been like if I'd married him."She's about to find out.Joe proposed last month and for the first time in 93 years, he's going to be a groom.Lifelong Bachelor Finds the Love of His Life Proving It’s Never Too LateAs for leaving his bachelor days behind him? Joe is more than ready."Yes, this is all new to me, but I'm confident there won't be any problems," he said. "We're both in good health, and I haven't met anyone yet who's told me, 'You dummy — love is for the young.' That's simply not true.""Older people like us deserve love too," he added. "And we're going to give it our best in the years we have left." Their families agree. Mary's daughter, Sue Elkind, 55, says her mom is acting like a teenager again. "She has that giddy spirit that comes out when you're in love. We're really happy for both of them."The happy couple plans on tying the knot in October and will honeymoon in Cape Cod before settling into the rest of their golden years -- together. There's a saying, "Love is wasted on the young." But as Joe and Mary prove, this is far from true. Because when it comes to love? You're never too old and it's never too late. More from Goalcast:Homeless Couple Couldn’t Afford to Get Married for 24 Years – Then a Stranger Throws Them a Surprise WeddingBride’s Father Dies Before Wedding – So Her Mom Gifts Her the Ultimate Daddy-Daughter Dance SurpriseWedding of the Century: Grandparents Say “I Do” After 40 Years of Living Together
