Our Little Big Love Story
A bunch of my friends have requested a blog post on my husband (Will) and I's love story. It is indeed a bit of a zany road of events for sure somewhat orchestrated by a force called Serendipity and 2 men up above who happen to be Will and I's Fathers.
So alas, here we go, the tale of truths of how we came to be.
August 2003. My Dad, my best friend, passed away in a tragic cave diving accident. My Dad was the most expert level diver you could be. He was studied and calculated and one day, for reasons that still don't make sense, there was an accident. At the time, my sister and I were working at an ad agency in Miami. When we were okay (enough) to come back to work, one of our colleagues said, 'you know there is this show starting up called No Opportunity Wasted on the Discovery channel. You should apply and go on a grand adventure to spread your Dad's ashes.'
After some thought, we went for it. Wrote a multi-page, huge application and sent it off. Didn't think much of it because what were the odds that we'd get chosen. Well we did. The network orchestrated our surprise with our Agency and while we were cluelessly sitting in a meeting, camera crews bust in. They said, 'you have $3,000 and 72 hours to fulfill a dream.' And off we went.
First stop: skydiving on the island of Oahu. I had skydiving tickets bought for my Dad and I but he died just a few weeks shy of us using them. Our flight had a delay and we landed in Honolulu late in the day. The Skydive Hawaii van was there to greet us and off we went to try and make our jump before sunset. Low and behold, on the way there, the van ran out of gas. The Owner made a phone call and minutes later, a strapping, young, handsome guy shows up with a 5 gallon container of gas. Pops his head in the van and says hello. Woah. It was Will and he took my breath away.
Turns out he grew up at the dropzone and was like another Son to Frank, the owner. Will's own Father, we'd later learn, was an expert skydiver, who died in a tragic accident skydiving.
Will landing a jump - he always crosses his feet in his time under canopy, just like his Dad did.
Will decided to go up and jump with us and the crew, and he jumped out right before me. For some reason, I had a total moment of panic, thinking he was going to fly back and smash into the side of the plane. 3 or 4 people had jumped before him and that thought never crossed my mind. He was different. And at the time I knew nothing about the story of his Father.
Fast forward and the jump is over. It's an emotional mix of extreme sadness, elation, shock, laughter. I remember screaming to my Jump Master, Jake, 'oh my God! If only my Dad could see this! No he IS seeing it right now with me!' It was like looking down from outer-space at the most spectacular mix of greens and blues that Mother Earth has to offer. I've jumped many times in Hawaii since then and the grandeur of the view never got old.
As we were mentally returning to earth, I asked Will if he knew of any cheap hotels in town because we were on this crazy show and on a budget. He laughed at me - this is the North Shore of Oahu. Nothing is cheap and accommodations are limited. He tells us he and his friends have a big house on the beach and that us and the crew could crash there and they'd throw us a bonfire. Um...okay?!
During the bonfire, Will and I hardly spoke. He and my Mom spoke the entire time. Let me caveat my next statement with the fact that my Mom is not a over-emotional, super soft woman. You have to earn her trust and she can be a tough critic. She came in from that bonfire, looked at my sister and I and said, 'I don't know why, but I feel like that boy is supposed to be my Son.'
The next morning, Will drove us all to the airport. When he and I hugged goodbye, we couldn't let go. And when we got on the plane to fly to our next island, I started balling uncontrollably and couldn't stop....over leaving him. I kept saying to my Mom, 'what is going on I don't even know that guy!' And... I had a boyfriend at the time. Someone I had been with for 2 years. I knew in that moment that I'd be breaking up with him. I could not stay with him given the fact that I had the capacity to feel that way towards someone else. My heart was....open.
The show was emotional. It was 3 days of filming. Answering questions about my Dad and reliving moments. Totally draining but incredible. After we wrapped filming, my Mom decided we'd stay on the island and unwind for a few days and suggested we call Will since he had been so hospitable to us... and invite him to come stay a night on Kauai. I was embarrassed and said no but she made it happen. Will said he couldn't come. He had a day of shots lined up for going overseas. Then he called back 30 minutes later and said he was on his way and jumping on a flight.
Right after a super rainy hike to Waimea Falls, less than a year into our marriage and living on the North Shore, AKA Absolute Paradise!
When he arrived, we asked if there was anything he thought we really should do. His answer was that we should go jump off the cliff at Shipwreck Beach - one of the things I had desperately flagged wanting to do on Kauai. My Dad and I loved to cliff jump together and when Will suggested this, I was IN. We went to the cliff and my Mom and Sister watched from the shore - taking the photo you see at the top. Will swan dived off the cliff. Because, of course.
Then it was my turn. I walked up to the edge and looked down roughly 50-60 feet and Will waiting in the water below. The world went absolutely silent. If you know me, you know my world has never been silent. I'm loud, my brain works overtime, and I don't know much chill. But in that moment, something in my head said, with conviction, 'you're going to be okay. You've found your new best friend.' Will counted down from 3 and off I went, right to him waiting below. The waters were rough that day and we had a big swim in and as we emerged from the water, life was different.
We connected by living a moment that our Dads would have loved to live with us. No doubt they were watching us the entire time.
Zip-lining all over the island of Kauai once married - backbending over canopies of lush Hawaiian forests!
That night, we were all driving around, and we went to the beach where we had spread the final portion of my Dad's ashes. Ke'e Beach. As we approached, we saw what I can only describe as some otherworldly light show. Swirls of colors. Pink, yellow, green... in the sky. Will asked me that night why I didn't have a boyfriend and it was the only lie I ever told him when I answered, 'I don't know.' I just knew I'd be ending things with my boyfriend because I had met my soulmate.
The next day I called JR and said, 'I believe in honesty and this is going to hurt and I'm sorry. I believe I've met the man I'm going to marry.'
Our story from there was not without some ups and downs, but all the downs led back, and still lead back, to the knowing that in one another we have found a BIG love, the kind that you absolutely can't live without once you have a taste of it.
Thanks for reading our story and thank you to those who have been a part of the crazy journey that has led us to where we are now - happy, laughing, loving and enjoying life with the best small ninja there ever was.
I leave you with what I say is our theme song, courtesy of the royal couple themselves, Jay & Beyonce...
'Cause mommy's a rider and I'm a roller, put us together how they going to stop both us?'
Will... you are my ride or die. You're an incredible man and an even better Dad. Our life is my happy place. Forever. Cheers to many more years of being the best team we can be. XO
PS Will, when I ask you to remove 786 tons of mulch from the yard this weekend, just remember that time I swam way the hell out to help you get your broken board in after you snapped it on that big wave! That's good wife'ing right there!
Blue Skies and Best,
Sarah
Boxed wine wisdom that was damn true to our story! ;)
