He worked long hours on building sites, came home to an empty apartment, and didn’t talk about love very much. Years ago, betrayal had made him bitter, and he decided that relationships weren’t worth the pain.
But his humble methods paid off in the long run. Michael had saved nearly $15,000 by living simply. His neighbors in their little village believed that was a lot of money. It was enough to buy a house, build a starter home, or finally settle down and live a safe life.
Michael was on a break for lunch at the site one afternoon when he checked his phone and saw a Facebook post from a volunteer group. According to the post, a drunk driver hit Emily Rhodes, 28, just before she graduated with a degree in education. She couldn’t move her legs after the crash.
Emily lived in a small, ancient home on the edge of rural Mississippi, where everything was quiet. She lived alone because her father had died years ago, her mother was sick and feeble, and she didn’t have anyone to help her. She spent a lot of her time in a wheelchair, reading books she could borrow and teaching students online for free.
Michael was surprised by the last line of the post:
“She once said that her biggest dream is to wear a wedding dress once in her life to know she has a home.”
Michael’s chest tightened. It wasn’t pity. It wasn’t a decision made on the spot. There was something deeper, an instinct that made him want to be with her. He begged for a few days off work without telling anyone, then he jumped on a bus and headed straight to Mississippi.
When he met Emily for the first time, he was surprised. It was impossible to put into words how attractive the young woman in the wheelchair looked. She had slender legs wrapped under a blanket. She didn’t have much makeup on, and her smile was hesitant, but her presence made him feel good, and he wanted to stay.
The first several days, they talked for hours. Michael realized that she still learnt languages on her phone, offered to teach on Zoom, and never stopped attempting to learn. She was strong on the inside, even if her body was damaged.
Michael knew what he wanted on the way home: he wanted to marry her.
People were surprised when he told them.
“Are you out of your mind?” “Are you sure you want to marry a woman who can’t move? You’re going to spend all your savings on her.”
But Michael just smiled. “Depending on the decisions you make, life might be harsh or happy. She deserves affection just like everyone else.
Weeks later, he went back to Mississippi with a ring this time. Emily couldn’t say anything when he asked. She said no at first because she was scared she would be a burden and that he just liked her for a short time. Michael, on the other hand, kept going. He contacted her every day, told her jokes, asked about her mother, and spoke to her as if they were already married.
Emily finally replied yes in a whisper after three months.
Their wedding was small and modest. They got married in their backyard, which was decked with yellow lights and wildflowers they picked from the fields. Emily was sitting in her chair in a basic white dress when Michael gripped her hands tightly, making them shake.
That night, he carefully led her into their room. He didn’t touch her quickly or hungrily; instead, he helped her change into softer clothes on purpose. He stopped moving when he took the garment off her shoulders.
He saw that she had a tattoo on the left side of her chest. There were beautiful French words inscribed on top of a weak tree that was developing new buds and had no leaves.
Michael’s throat felt tight. He got it right away because he had studied building in France years ago. He traced the ink with his fingertips, but it was hard for him to see since he was crying.
Emily blushed and pushed the blanket up, but he held her hand gently. “When did you get this?”
“After the accident,” she remarked in a low voice.
“I thought I had lost everything.” My boyfriend broke up with me, my friends stopped talking to me, and even my family stopped talking to me. I didn’t want to live for a while. But one day I saw my mom struggle to push my wheelchair to fetch medicine. I knew I was still alive because I could still breathe. I have to live for her and for myself.
Michael didn’t utter a word. He merely held her close since there was no way to say how powerful she was. She didn’t need anyone to feel bad for her. People should have looked up to her.
He knew from that moment on that he hadn’t just married a woman; he had found the most important thing in the universe.
After that, things weren’t easy. Emily needed help with everything every day. Michael, on the other hand, never said anything. He got up early to cook, worked long hours at the site, and then returned home to bathe her, read books with her, and laugh about little things like any couple would.
Emily’s legs began to quiver and slowly respond a year later, thanks to Michael’s persistent care and therapy. That day, Michael sobbed as she moved them by herself. For the first time in years, he believed in miracles.
Their story spread swiftly online and touched a lot of people. Michael, on the other hand, was still humble. He laughed quietly when a reporter asked him whether he regretted he hadn’t spent his money to marry her.
“I didn’t spend my money on a woman who couldn’t move.” I spent everything I had to achieve something priceless: real happiness.
