A two-time Purple Heart medal recipient and his high school sweetheart who’ve been married for the last seven years received the wedding they’ve always dreamed of.
Ivan and Sarah’s love story first sparked when they met as teenagers in high school. Though both of them chose different paths, with Ivan heading to the Marine Corps and Sarah continuing college, they stayed in touch and supported each other during their stressful days.
“We were both going through a lot at the time,” Sarah said.
One day while Sarah was on her way to work, she received a call from Ivan, who was deployed in Afghanistan, stating that he'd been left injured by shrapnel in a blast. Though she was “swerving while driving,” on hearing the shocking news, she was touched that he thought of calling her first.
During the end of the deployment in Afghanistan, Ivan was faced with yet another injury where he lost both his legs to an IED (improvised explosive device). Sarah learned of this devastating news on social media.
Ivan, who was still on active duty at that time, received two Purple Heart medals and then headed to Texas where he began his rehabilitation for the next two years. During this time, Sarah and Ivan’s friendship blossomed as Sarah played a huge role during his recovery. They both then became each other’s rock as they could talk to each other about anything.
After his recovery, Ivan garnered interest in wheelchair racing. With Sarah’s support, he competed in the Warrior Games, winning gold and silver medals there, as well as the Invictus Games.
The couple went on their first real date, to the Marine Corps Ball, where Sarah was introduced to Ivan’s friends and comrades. “Things got serious,” according to Sarah, when they both attended Ivan’s best friend’s “Mission I Do” wedding at Old McMicky’s Farm.
In 2014, they had a civil ceremony at the courthouse and longed for a dream wedding, which then became a reality on Jan. 23, 2022, with the efforts of Old McMicky’s Farm’s program.
“The wedding was not a gift from the farm,” farm owner Ralph Zuckerman said in a statement. “The gift of the wedding was from Ivan to his bride, Sarah, fully earned by his service to his country.
“Everyone in the military helps to protect our families so we thought one of the best ways to show our appreciation was to help them with the wedding celebration they had dreamed of.”
The “Mission I Do” program provides free all-inclusive weddings to active-duty military and veterans and has given nine free weddings so far.
Ivan still remains on active duty, serving in the United States Marine Corps.
