Part of what’s great about working at an online dating company, is that you get to hear a lot of real-life love stories that are just as sigh-worthy as the movies. As an editor at the dating site Zoosk, I’ve read a lot of stories about how people all over the world got together. From the couple who worked at the same company for five years before meeting, to the man who stayed by his now-wife’s side during an unexpected surgery early in their relationship, oftentimes love doesn’t always begin in the way we think it will.
Starting in 2018, I’ll be sharing more of the real-life love stories from the Zoosk archives to showcase some of the unexpected ways love begins from the smallest of interactions, can hit a few bumps and along the way, or take you in directions you would have never expected. And because many Zoosk members have had great military dating experiences, we thought we’d start by sharing some of their most romantic military love stories in their own words.
Here they are (in no particular order) for your reading pleasure:
Adrian and Frances
“Since that first date we have been through two deployments, a beautiful son, and one hell of a happy life.”
Around May 2010, I moved to Kansas to continue my service in the military. At that time I was a single father of a two-year-old boy so I decided to get on the dating site Zoosk and find a way to meet people. I wasn’t necessarily looking to date at that time but just wanted to meet people around my area. It was then that I met Frances. I made the first wink and started a conversation with her. As the days went by we kept talking on the phone and learning a lot about one another. We both had children, we were both married at one point, and we were both very hard working people. (The thing that really attracted me to Frances at that time was that she mentioned that she worked with older people in a home as a CMA.) We had planned to meet but plans fell through due to Frances working two jobs and living 50 miles away. I didn’t give up though. I kept in touch and I was patient. She finally said yes to meeting in person and the date was set.
She traveled from Topeka to Manhattan Kansas. We had decided to meet at Olive Garden, and as I was walking up to the doors I was on my cell phone guiding Frances to me from her car. As soon as I saw her I knew—this beautiful white smile and curly black hair walked right in front of me and that was it. We took a seat in the restaurant and we hit it off so great that we forgot to order our food! About 45 minutes later a waitress stopped at our table and that’s when we realized we had forgotten to order. I gotta say, it was the best date I’ve ever had. Since that first date we have been through two deployments, a beautiful son, and one hell of a happy life. What makes us perfect for each other is that we are best friends. We are that couple that pushes each other to do great in life. She is about to graduate nursing school and I am trying out for the US Olympic Boxing Team. With four kids between us, school, deployments, and careers we always find a way to balance everything out. At the end of the day she is my all, and I am hers.
Taltha and Jamie
“I am so thankful that I answered that annoying Army boy and that he was so persistent.”
On July 27, 2014 I got a message on Zoosk from a very good looking guy in the Army. I almost didn’t answer because of his age—I was 22 and he was 21. (I normally don’t date younger guys, but then I saw he was born in 1992, the same year as me, so I replied to his message.) That was the start of the most annoying relationship I would ever have! The guy would not leave me alone! James was always messaging me and calling me even when I would ignore him. Finally, I gave in and started talking to him regularly. I learned he was in the Army based in Virginia. Those first four months we had to be just friends and get to know each other online. But as time went on our talks got longer and longer and I found myself talking to him more and more. After chatting with him about three months I cancelled my Zoosk subscription because I knew I only wanted to talk to James. Then, after five months of a total internet friendship, he came home to Florida and we had our first date at a park. Jump forward about two months and Jamie was asking me to marry him a week before his 22 birthday at his annual military ball. Now we have 128 day till our wedding!!! I am so thankful that I answered that annoying Army boy and that he was so persistent in pursuing me. He truly is the man of my dreams.
Angelica and Christopher
“Anything can happen to anyone, anywhere.”
Angelica’s Story: I had been a Zoosk member for a while, and figured since I hadn’t met anyone of interest that I would delete my account. One evening I logged in and saw a message from a military guy and figured that I would go ahead and chat with him and maybe make a new friend. We started to chat and a few days later he asked to meet me for coffee. I agreed and we met and hit it off. He ended up sweeping me off my feet and regardless of everyone telling me I was crazy, we married on May 23, 2014. It was the best thing I ever did and I have never been happier.
Chris’s Story: I am in the Navy and, at the time, had just gotten home from a deployment. I was new to the area and really didn’t know a lot of people, so I logged on to see if I could meet some new people. I saw Angelica’s profile picture and saw that she was in the Army, so I figured I would reach out and say hello. We started to talk and hit it off right off the bat. I asked her to coffee the next day and we went on from there. Three months after asking her to be my girlfriend she became my wife. I never thought I would find my true love online but it goes to show anything can happen to anyone, anywhere. I have never been happier and look forward to our bright and crazy future.
Nicole and Phil
“I knew I would wait for him. I loved him so much and he made me so happy so of course I would wait.”
When I first started online dating, I was nervous about meeting someone. Then, after a few weeks I got a message from Phil. We didn’t meet right away but we did talk for a while. The first time we met we hung out at the mall near his apartment. After that first meeting, I felt like we weren’t going to be a couple and were just going to end up as friends. But I liked him right away, and as time went on we really got to know each other. The second time we met I actually stayed at his apartment until 4:00 in the morning playing video games and talking and I thought it was fantastic. He drove me home and said goodnight without making any moves and I really appreciated it. He had manners and that really impressed me. The third time we hung out together was probably the most memorable day of my life… That day I knew I wanted to be with him. It was the first weekend we were going to spend together and on the first day he sent me a text message and said, “You know, I am really a shy guy but would you mind if I put my arm around you?” I thought that was the cutest thing that I had ever received. And that was really the start of our relationship. After a few months of dating, we were engaged in March. He had joined the army and was leaving for basic training in April and I knew I would wait for him. I loved him so much and he made me so happy so of course I would wait. He graduated from basic training August 8th and had two weeks left for Stryker training. When he came home on August 27, 2013 we were married. With Phil by my side I feel like I can do anything and he would say the same. We like to say that we found our other half.
Ainsley and Joshua
“The day had finally come for him to come home. I had waited eight months for a man I had only gone out with once. It was one of the best decisions of my life.”
I had been in some horrible relationships in the past; in fact, I had just gotten out of one. I was not really looking for a relationship, but I went ahead and created an online dating account for the heck of it. I was on the verge of deleting it after a month when Josh sent me a chat request. I accepted it even though I thought he would be just like everyone else. It turns out I was very wrong. God tends to send you miracles in unexpected moments. We talked for a few months while he was stationed in North Carolina for Coast Guard training, and he got a two week leave before he was going to be shipped off to Bahrain for a year. Well, I told him I would wait. Afterall, I’m still in college, I thought. It will give me time to focus on my studies. As part of his leave, he flew to Florida to get his car so he could drive to Ohio to visit his family before he left for a year. He told me that he would come see me on his way up to Ohio. He drove four hours out of the way to see me. He told me that he couldn’t stay long, so I thought a few minutes was all he meant. He ended up spending the day with me. We went out to eat and went to the movies. It was one of the best dates I have ever been on. After the movie I got in my car and he got in his and we went our separate ways. I was freaking out the whole time I was driving away and thinking to myself, You idiot! You didn’t hug him or anything! Well we talked for an additional two weeks. At that time some other guys were aggravating me on Facebook, so I put that I was in a relationship to get them to leave me alone. He saw it too and I told him why I did it. Then he asked if I minded if he put he was in a relationship too. I said yes, he definitely could, jumping up and down with excitement the entire time. Not long after, he finally left for the year. We didn’t talk much after that, then one day he asked me if I wanted to go with him to his sister’s wedding in July because he was getting a three week leave for it. I said OMG yes! The day had finally come for him to come home. I had waited eight months for a man I had only gone out with once. It was one of the best decisions of my life. He came home and we shared our first kiss under the stars on the beach pier. That was when I knew that there wasn’t another guy on the planet who could make me feel so in love.
