A Date With Destiny

This is a love story that will put a warm feeling in your heart and a smile on your face. And if you are like me, you will probably get a whole bunch of goosebumps as well. Mike and Katie's story didn't start out so pretty. In fact, it was quite scary. But I am sure you will agree that the end result is wonderful, magical, and definitely inspirational.

When Mike was 17, he had a near-fatal ski accident in Ontario, Canada. He had 7 jaw fractures, a broken nose, a broken cheek bone, and worst of all, a hematoma in his left frontal lobe that required immediate brain surgery. After the surgery, he fell into a coma for almost a week. Doctors told him he would never be the same again. They were wrong.

When Katie was 18, she was involved in terrible high-speed auto accident with 5 of her friends, the morning after her High School Prom. That accident left her with a traumatic brain injury, fractured skull, punctured/collapsed lungs, and severe neck and spinal cord damage. She was in a coma for 3 months. When she came out of her coma, she was paralyzed for over a year. She had to learn to walk again. Now, she walks 18 miles every Saturday with her mom, just because she can!

2 accidents. 2 comas. 2 hospitals. 2 completely separate lives.

Fast forward to 2008...Mike and Katie meet through online dating site e-harmony.com and noticed that they had amazingly similar characters, personalities, spirits, passions, and energies. Neither of them knew about each other's accident and coma, since they were not mentioned in their profiles. They met, had an amazing connection almost instantly, and fell in love. One year later, they got married! And something even more crazy? The husband of their Pastor who married them was in a motorcycle accident and was also in a coma. What are the odds? How many people do you know who have been in a coma? Was this the aligning of the planets? Fate? Destiny? A miracle? Yes!

They shared this with me: "Throughout each of our recoveries, the love and support of family and friends were paramount to helping us each come through to live complete, enriching, and wonderfully blessed lives again."

You can't help but have such happiness for them and cheer them on! Here is a fun photo of them both having a great time dancing.Obviously, this day was not only about celebrating their love...it was also about celebrating life. Mike and Katie had a beautiful wedding and celebration for 70 of their closest friends at the Stanford Park Hotel. It was an extraordinary day. They picked out most of the fun music for the evening, and both of their brother's Dave and Andrew were guest MC's. They even played a fun game where the guests got to step up to the Microphone to tell a joke. If it was a funny joke, they kissed! Fortunately, most of the jokes were funny so there was a lot of kissing.
Here is a great shot of Mike letting loose and having some fun on the dance floor. My kind of guy! Special songs they picked out for their reception:

First Dance: "At Last" - Etta James
Father-Daughter Dance: "My Girl" - The Temptations
Farewell Dance: "You're The Inspiration" - Chicago

Overall, it was an awesome night and a very special treat for me to be there. I still get goosebumps when I think about them.