Karen Lynch and Rick Hayward
In the late ’70s, high school students Karen and Rick went on their first date. They went to a local bowling alley in Willow Grove and had a good time. Karen believed that things went great, and she thought that they really had a connection. She went home that night, excited for Rick to call and ask her for a second date.
No Call
Karen waited for the call, but it never came. She was surprised and definitely disappointed. As the days passed, she wondered what was wrong. Then weeks turned to months, and months turned to years, and she never received a call, even though she thought their first date went great.
Separate Ways
Over the years, Karen and Rick went their separate ways. They both moved on and got married to other people. They both had children and forgot about one another. Sadly, they both ended up getting divorced. It wasn’t until 2010 that fate would step in and bring Karen and Rick back into each other’s lives.
Around 2010, after they had both divorced their respective spouses, and they connected on Facebook. It had been 33-years since their first date. Rick says that when he saw Karen on Facebook, he remembered their first date, and he started thinking about what could have been if had he asked her on a second date all those years ago. After all those years, he finally asked Karen on a second date. He figured that it was better late than never and here’s the painful truth.
The Painful Truth
Not only did Karen get the offer for the second date, but she also found out why he never asked her out again all those years ago. In 1977 he didn’t call her after their first date. But 33 years on, she learned the painful truth. Rick says that he was very shy in high school. He wanted to ask Karen out again, but each time he picked up the phone, he would chicken out. After days and weeks passed, Rick figured that it was too late to ask her out again, so he let it go. He knew that he missed his opportunity, but he was just too shy to do anything about it.
The Second Date
When Rick and Karen went on their second date 33 years later, the sparks were still there. It was as though nothing had changed. It didn’t take long for love to blossom between the two. Rick says that on their second date, he knew that he wanted to marry Karen. He knew that asking her to marry him on their second date would be foolish, and might scare her away, so he waited.
The Engagement
Rick and Karen were dating, and they were exclusive after they knew the painful truth. They spend all of their free time together, getting to know one another again. With each passing day, Rick’s belief that he was meant to be with Karen grew stronger and stronger. Finally, he decided that it was time to pop the question. He and Karen were out running errands together one day when he told her that he wanted to buy himself a ring. Karen was excited to go with him to help him pick something on.
While they were at the jewelry store, and Rick was trying on rings, the shop assistant came over hand handed him another. At first, Karen thought that it was just another style that the shop assistant was suggesting. He took the ring, and instead of putting it on his own finger, he put it on Karen’s, and he asked her to marry him. Karen was shocked, and she said yes immediately.
Another Surprise
Karen and Rick both agreed that they were meant to be together all these years, but they just missed their chance earlier in life. They were both happy that they had that second chance. Rick told Karen that they were going to New York to look for wedding dresses, but he had another surprise up his sleeve. The got in a limo when they arrived in New York, and Rick took out an iPad. There was a message from the talk show host and celebrity chef, Rachel Ray. In the video, she said that she was touched by their story, and Rick didn’t want to wait any longer to get married, and they would be married the next day.
Plans
Within the next 24 hours, the couple got their marriage licenses, and Karen’s mother and Rick’s mother were there for Karen’s dress fitting at Kleinfeld. They even flew in Karen’s best friend, Dorie Perdie. Karen couldn’t believe that Rick had planned all of this without her even knowing.
The Wedding
The couple was married on the set of the Rachel Ray Show. They exchanged vows in front of the studio audience and the rest of the world on Valentine’s Day. After they shared their wedding cake, Karen learned that the show was sending them on a surprise honeymoon to a resort in Mexico. It took them decades to find one another again, and they couldn’t be happier.
