It wasn’t long ago that Vanessa was happily married to an honorable man serving his country in Iraq, and raising their daughter. Then the 23-year-old from Washington state got terrible news: Her husband had died in the line of duty and she faced an uncertain future.
Vanessa had faith — that God had a plan for her and she hoped that plan included finding love again someday. She found joy in her little girl and loved being a mother.
In the meantime, since her older sister had met her husband through CatholicMatch, Vanessa came here hoping to find someone who shared her faith and her interest in the outdoors.
Rob was 22-years-old and from the same area near Spokane. He’d spent his college years studying psychology at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio and a common faith was an imperative for any future relationship. With his interests in hiking, fishing and camping, among other things, he was an ideal match for Vanessa.
It was only three days into Vanessa’s membership that she saw Rob’s profile. “I decided to take his test, not thinking anything of it,” Vanessa recalled. “Until he messaged me. I was so nervous and excited to hear from him.”
Continued messages revealed how much they shared in common, and when things upgraded to phone calls and texting and talking in person, the connection came immediately. “I can honestly say that I had never felt so connected to someone before,” she recalled. “As if we had known each other forever.”
