It sounds like something straight out of a cheeseball Rachel McAdams/Ryan Gosling flick: boy meets girl, boy loses girl, man finds and marries woman 50 years later. But for Diane Harris and Rodney Day, the Hollywood ending is reality.Day must have drifted off to sleep, because when he woke up, the car was in a ditch, and his girlfriend had gone through the windshield. The sweethearts were taken to different medical centers -- Day was in the military and went to a local Air Force base for treatment, while Harris went to a nearby hospital.
Diane Harris's mother did not approve of the pairing, so the elder Harris used the accident as an opportunity to break the couple up. Mom told both teens that the other one wanted to end it, and Harris and Day never saw each other again.
Fast-forward 50 years to this April. Harris had been married and divorced twice, and Day became a widower in 2007. Day tracked down his high school sweetheart and sent her a letter. The two began emailing, and the couple married on October 17 at an Elks Lodge in Napa, Calif. Day told the New York Post, "It was like 50 years apart hadn't happened." (Want a good cry? Watch the video clip of the nuptials at the Napa Valley Register's site.)
You know what we love about this story, beyond the usual "love stands the test of time" schmaltz? That this reunion did not happen as a result of Facebook or any other social networking site.
You sometimes see the "OMG! My wife left me for her high school sweetheart!" story, but this is just about a guy who sent a letter and hoped to rekindle an old flame. (It's not always that sinister; this Florida couple rekindled their high-school romance on Facebook 30 years later.)
Still, there's something nice about a paper letter. As now newlywed Rodney Day told the New York Post, "I wasn't sure if it was her, and I'm not good on the phone, so I just wrote her a letter ... I figured that if it's not her, she can just wad it up."
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Sunday 25 October
By Cathy
First of all, the guy was 18 and in the Army, she was 16 - out until 3:00am and in a car accident.. I don't blame the mother for trying to keep him away. But, come on, you mean he didn't bother to try to get in touch with one of her friends or write or call or anything? And, neither did she? If I were 16 and my mother broke up with me for my boyfriend, I think, if I cared about him, I'd at least write and ask him why.
I also don't think it's very complimentary to his wife of 43 years and the mother of his children to proclaim the new wife, "his true love." His wife died and he needed a replacement, she was the only one that he could think of to contact.
And, she was alone, single and probably looking for #3 -- he fell in her lap.
It may work out just fine...but, I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't either of them thinks it'll be.
p.s. ..giving her his h.s. ring after all this time...I'm wondering where it came from? Did he hold on to it for 50 years or did his first wife? Maybe it's just me but, I don't know a single man who has his h.s. ring after 50 years.
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Sunday 25 October
By donna madonia
The same thing happened to me and soon to be fiance!...reunited after 30 years due to facebook! we grew up together...childhood crushes! we both moved away from eachother and never saw eachother until august 09!!....its better than i could ever have imagined being together after all these years!
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Sunday 25 October
By Bobby Casey
I am very glad that we met again too. It is amazing how our lives took such different paths but that when we were reunited it is like those 30 years were not lost and I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you.
Sunday 25 October
By sandy morello
Ours is soooo similar in1955 my high school sweetheart "broke up"(I thought he was kinda boring(stable is the word) two husbands & 30 yrs later, while passing thru Dallas I was trying to find some h s girlfriends in a phonebook to no avail ...so I decided to look and see if "whats his name" was listed. yes!He had his own ins. business and recently divorced. I said to him "Is this the sexy Italian fromXX high school?" and he said my name!!!!I couldn't believe he remembered my voice! I had lived in Europe for 15 yrs He was my first love@15 yrs old...everyone said "puppy love" We just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversery!My prince charming, for sure
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Sunday 25 October
By Stoney Werdebaugh
I married my high school sweetheart after 43 years apart.I got drafted in the army and she married someone else.I though of her all the time and so did she think of me.I went through 3 marriges.I sent a xmas card to her brother and ask about her and she called me and we got back togeather and have been happy every since year 2000.
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Sunday 25 October
By KG
Wish this couple many years of God's Blessings filled with good health and happiness always.
Why didn' t this man go after her, or even check to see if she were alright once they were out of the hospital, sorry, the mom may have tried to control the situation, but he being in the Air Force, could've written or contacted the love of his life if he truly wanted to be with her at that time.
She married and is a widow since 2007, he being married and divorced twice, now finds the nerve and know how in contacting her, sounds like he's after her benefits, as he may be paying spousal and/or child support for his previous marriages.
Wish this couple well and do hope she has her assets secured in her name, and naming in a will, other relatives.
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Sunday 25 October
By Barb
A sad story in a way,now they are both old. I know , I know your only as old as
you feel right ! Now they can take care of each other for the rest of thier lives.
Hopefully it will be a long time.
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Sunday 25 October
By KG
Alright, I misread this story, and mixed roles, however, it can be vice versa, she knowing he's a widower since 2007, and she having 2 failed marriages, and in preying on his vunerability, may want financial security, and not giving a damn about the man, as she too, would've ran to his base, contacted him and written him or contacted his family to let them know she was well and that she wanted to see him again.
Hopefully, this man isn't foolish enough or truly in love with her that he's blinded with emotions and let her bleed him dry.
Best Wishes to this couple.
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Sunday 25 October
By CHRIS
HI...
I AM TRYING TO HOOK UP WITH AN OLD FLAME, ALSO.\, BUT FINANCES ARE PRESENTING A PROBLEM..I AM 58 AND HE IS 63. I LIVE IN WISCONSIN HE LIVES IN FLORIDA..I ONLY HAVE A PART TIME JOB BARELY GETTING BY AND HE WAS JUST LET GO BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY.
TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, WE WERE LOVERS 34 YEARS AGO. BECAUSE OF LIFE'S CIRCUMSTANCES, (CHILDREN AND SUCH WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND MARRIAGES) WE LANDED UP PARTING AND GOING OUR SEPARATE WAYS..NOW, 27 SEVEN YEARS WE'VE GOTTEN CONNECTED. HE MADE THE CALL TO ME..
WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR 4 MONTHS AND I'M GOING TO SEE HIM IN TWO WEEKS...WE STILL FEEL THE SAME, MAYBE EVEN MORE IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER, BUT TRYING TO RELOCATE, SELL A HOUSE, AND NOT MUCH MONEY THINGS LOOK VERY DIFFICULT..
I, TOO, HOPE SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL..
SINGED..DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH JERRY..
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Sunday 25 October
By melinda
That is the best story I have read in YEARS. Thank God love is still alive. Thank God for some good news for a change. I wish you both the very best of blessings, and may you have a very LONG and joyful life together.... and leave this world within a day of one another. That's how I would want it.
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Sunday 25 October
By membe022102
About five months ago I received a letter from someone I dated 25 years ago. We had had a falling out over something stupid and had not seen each other since. He apologized for everything and asked for forgiveiness. We began emailing and finally agreed to meet. We have been inseparable ever since. When we dated 25 years ago I was afraid he was too young for me, I was 29 and he was 22, but now the age difference doesn't matter. I've had two unhappy marriages and who knows, I might finally marry my soulmate!
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Sunday 25 October
By melinda
KG - you are a complete MORON. Go watch the video of the wedding, arsehole
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Tuesday 03 November
By VR
I love stories like this as I know from experience that it can come true. The one thing I say is never and I mean never give up on TRUE LOVE because it knows no bounds. My high school sweetheart and I are now planning our wedding after 25 yrs of being apart, but we always kept in touch over the years. I can't get into the whole story but he is the one I should have married back then. TRUE LOVE LAST FOREVER IT NEVER GOES AWAY!
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Sunday 25 October
By My Opinion Is
JOSIE - Ever thought that his current wife is the one who got the letter out of the mailbox, opened it, read it, and that HE never saw it OR if she did show it to him, do you think she was willing to "allow" him to respond to you??? If he is married, you should leave that one alone. He is a grown man and should have b*lls enough to get out if he is not happy - if not, then do you really want a man who can't think for himself??? This story we are reading is a wonderful story - but she has already had 2 failed marriages; they have only been reunited for 6 months; only been married a few days; of course pure bliss is abound for them, and hopefully will stay this way. But ALL relationships are great in the beginning - hope theirs stays great, but to fantasize about the true LOVE STORY in this === too soon to really know!
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Sunday 25 October
By BBF55
FINALLY...something I can respond to.
40 years and counting. EEC, I will always love you. Always.
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Sunday 25 October
By kerry
It was my mother who got me back together with my high school sweetheart after 30 years. See, it works both ways
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Sunday 25 October
By Scooter Del
Nearly forty years ago, my generation left the movie theater with tears in our eyes , after watching Oliver lose Jennifer in "Love Story" and after learning that "Love Means Never Having To Say You're Sorry" . And Sadly, Ryan Oneal's real life "Love Story" with Farrah had the same heart breaking ending . It was really nice to read this story with a "Happy Ending " ! Sadly ,all of our stories must come to a unhappy ending eventually, but hopefully we will be holding hands with that "Special Girl Or Guy" throughout eternity !!! See there, even us Harley riding "tough guys" have a Romantic Side ! Congradulations Kids !
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Sunday 25 October
By Dave
she looks so beautiful and so amazing he is one lucky guy
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Sunday 25 October
By Amy
Wow this story made me smile from ear to ear...a great read for a sunday morning. I`m 18 years old and this past summer lost my first love of 6 years..its been hard but I have faith that down the road we will meet back up. This story is incredible and I wish the best of luck to you both of you.
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Sunday 25 October
By Think Twice
Be careful. As a 55 year old guy, I wrote a letter to an old College love. Unfortunately for me, she had recently broken up with the boyfriend she'd had for four years after she'd divorced her husband. I know... I should have figured she was emotionally needy and vulnerable just then and shied away. I foolishly didn't, although we were platonic about the reconnection. What I got was about 2 months of incredibly poignant emailed avowals of endless love, and of how she loved me more deeply than I could ever know. After which (and I'll omit the truly ugly details) she proceeded to visciously eviscerate me. Luckily, I've not met many truly viscious people in my life, but this one woman now rests, uncontested, as the worst human being I have ever personally known. So a word of caution to anyone thinking of reconnecting with an old love: be very careful.... very careful.
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