Wow, I think I just read one of the greatest love stories, like ever.
The first thing that drew me to the couple in the Sunday Styles section of the Times print edition on Sunday March 1, was they are both Asian. Now, interracial marriage is a beautiful and necessary thing for our fractured and broken world, but it seems Asian couples are a bit rare to find in the “Vows section” of the NY Times. It’s a little tiring at times, to see the exact same combination of interracial relationships, over and over again.
Next thing I noticed was their story had over a full length page and the pictures in color, one of which showed a beautiful and beaming bride named Hannah Ryles being helped down the stairs by the calm and handsome groom named David Lee. The title read “Scheming To Be Together, All the World Over.”
Hannah and David met and fell in love at age 14 in late 2004 in Tokyo, Japan in the 8th grade. 14 years later in early February 2019 they got married in Philadelphia, USA. How did this happen!?
With parents in the military and working for the U.S. government in Asia, their families moved around a lot. But, Hannah was determined to be with David, and David was felt lost without her. In between visiting each other all over Asia, in Tokyo, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, here’s 10 things they did to stay together, and eventually be with each other forever.
- In the spring of 2006 they each convinced their families to vacation in Thailand, without letting their parents into the secret. Their vacation overlapped by just one day, yet Hannah and David made the most of it. David’s parents sent his junior brother to spy on them to make sure Hannah wouldn’t be a bad influence because she had dyed her hair red and wore large hoop earrings.
- In 2008 at 17, Hannah convinced her parents to let her travel 3 hours alone from Tokyo to Shanghai to attend David’s junior prom. Then she snuck out a year later to attend his senior prom, again flying 3 hours, and this time without telling her parents. She told her laid back parents she was going hiking with friends in the mountains of Japan. Hannah says her parents always trusted her, and she only ever lied to be with David. She saved up money for the ticket from babysitting, and skipped school to get the visa.
- The summer before Hannah and David graduated high school, at 18, they independently received approval from their respective parents to teach English to elementary students in Thailand. Their parents didn’t know the two teens would be spending the whole summer living together under the same roof for 3 months, chaperoned by a high school teacher from Texas, a French University student, and their other roommates.
- David reciprocated Hannah’s precociousness and determination, by traveling from Shanghai to Tokyo for Hannah’s prom. I suspect he did get his parents’ permission though. David’s parents were stricter than Hannah’s.
- After high school in Asia, Hannah and David both went to colleges in the United States, less than a mile apart from each other. She went to Bryn Mawr, and he went to Haverford College. Both colleges are right outside of Philadelphia. She majored in Psychology and he, Chemistry.
- David and Hannah spent their junior year abroad together, studying in Australia and New Zealand.
- After both graduated college in 2013, they got jobs in Philadelphia working together as technicians at Cancer research facilities.
- They both applied and got into the same medical school in Philadelphia.
- Before starting medical school in 2015, David and Hannah took a sentimental trip back to Tokyo to the subway station where they had their first kiss, 10 years before in 2005.
- In 2016, David finally proposed, in a park in Philadelphia, in front of close friends and family.
From mutual crush to puppy love to college sweethearts and now Mr and Mrs, David and Hannah show us that love can win. Even, across 100,000 miles, and one or two fibs.
I’m also guessing they must have saved a nation in a past life :-). We wish them a happy and fruitful married life together, forever.
Pictures from:
And, to read the whole modern-day fairy-like tale and see more amazing pictures here:
A-Dot Magazine 