UBC Alumni Affairs
Although this story is true and probably unusual, my husband and I are no longer together so it may not qualify for your contest.
I was enrolled in the UBC School of Music when this took place. The University Singers had planned a retreat at Whistler for the October 4-5 weekend. I was pregnant with my first child and my due date was also on October 4. I visited my doctor that day to ask if I should go, and he assured me that first babies were notoriously late and I would be fine. Even if I did go into labour I would most likely not need to rush to a hospital and would have plenty of time to contact him and get to Vancouver.
Well, it didn’t turn out that way. I drove to Whistler with friends and had a great evening, probably staying up a bit too late. The next morning I could hardly eat at breakfast. I was scheduled to help with the dishes, along with the man (I will call him Joe) who I later married. It was the first time I had talked to him for any length of time, but he seemed nice and commented that I was brave to come on the retreat. We joked around for some time and then I began to feel quite ill. Within moments it was clear that I was going into labour and needed to contact my doctor. He was apparently out golfing, so the staff contacted a local doctor. By this time I was having contractions and obviously needed to get to Vancouver quickly.
Joe had been planning to return early for work and offered to drive me to Vancouver. My girlfriends helped me pack and get to the car. We were about to leave when the local ambulance arrived with the doctor, who took one look at me, loaded me into the ambulance and rushed me to Squamish. That is a ride I will never forget! My last look at Joe was only to wave good bye as this flurry of activity took place around me. My daughter was born 45 minutes later on arrival at Squamish General Hospital.
Two weeks later, after spending some time at home with my parents, I returned to school. As I entered the Music building with baby in a snuggly, Joe appeared out of nowhere to help me with my bag and books. He expressed his concern and his worry about me and how he had wanted to contact me, but none of my friends would give him my number, apparently not sure what he wanted. As it happened, he asked me out that first day back and we began to spend a lot of time together. The fact that I had a newborn did not faze him and we eventually married when my daughter was four. He adopted her as his own and even though we did not stay together, he has remained close to her. He is the only father she acknowledges. The real love story is how we both fell in love with a little girl, who is now 26 years old.
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