I met my husband on a crisp autumn evening in Arizona.
I had just turned 16 and was finally able to drive, so I became my 13-year-old brother’s unofficial chauffeur. One evening, I went to pick him up from basketball practice at a local high school. While wandering around the campus looking for the gym, I ran into a football player on crutches. His name was Donovan.
Courtesy of Hannah Rooks
He had just injured his ankle, but still managed to flash a charming smile beneath the pain. We chatted briefly, he pointed me toward the gym and guessed I was the sister of the redheaded kid always there. As I walked away, I remember thinking, “I’m so glad I ran into you”—and not just because of his directions.
A couple of weeks later, we caught up over coffee at Starbucks.
Courtesy of Hannah Rooks
We didn’t call it a date, just two teenagers “hanging out” so our parents wouldn’t get suspicious. Hours passed as we talked, and even the barista teased us for not ordering a second drink. A month later, a scavenger hunt around town led me back to that same Starbucks. Waiting by the town’s Christmas tree, Donovan asked me to our school’s winter formal. It was our first official date.
Courtesy of Hannah Rooks
We went to different high schools at first, but not long after, my parents decided to transfer my brother and me to Donovan’s school. We weren’t Catholic, but I didn’t mind. That football player became my best friend and eventually, my boyfriend. We were just teenagers in love but that friendship was our foundation.
Courtesy of Hannah Rooks
After high school, I moved to Idaho for college, and Donovan went to Montana on a football scholarship. We gave long distance a shot, but it wasn’t easy.
We broke up, though I still had a non-refundable ticket to visit him. He told me to come anyway, and we’d just “hang out.”
Courtesy of Hannah Rooks
When I got off the plane, there he was on crutches again. And just like that, everything felt right. We realized it wasn’t our love that failed; it was the distance. From that day forward, we never wanted to be apart again.
Photos by Kimmer
We got married at 19. People said we’d regret it, but we knew better. We’ve grown up together, through college, career changes, and long-distance again when Donovan joined the police academy. Being married to a law enforcement officer comes with its challenges, but communication has been our anchor.
Maryana Wright Photography
We didn’t follow a typical path. We followed our hearts and we’d do it all again.
