Todd Krieg and Amanda Diesen just nailed their Valentine’s celebrations by announcing they are expecting a baby boy, just weeks after getting engaged.
Like many people overcome with that loving feeling, Todd took to Instagram to share his joy with the world.
While public displays of affection are often begrudged by social media, Todd’s photograph was different: It has been shared around the world via Reddit, all because people were desperate to revel in the couple’s heart-warming and inspirational story.
In 2014, a dirt bike crash left 23-year-old Todd, from Elyria, Ohio, paralysed and ended his professional motocross career.
A year later, hoping to regain some function in the lower half of his body, Todd was admitted to a paralysis recovery centre; the very same centre where Amanda, 25, was working as a therapist.
During Todd’s recovery, which began in October 2015, the couple fell in love.
As the 23-year-old began to learn to walk again, he noticed his ‘cute therapist’ and luckily, she noticed him too.
Amanda described how Todd plucked up the courage to approach her after some Dutch courage, writing:
Todd had a crush on me and called me the “cute therapist”, and I found him so handsome but was so afraid to be unprofessional and hit on a client.
Thankfully Todd got the drunken courage on Halloween night 2015 to confess his attraction for me.
After Todd’s time at the treatment centre was over, he moved back to his hometown in Ohio and Amanda followed him halfway across the country after the couple decided they couldn’t be apart.
Todd proposed to Amanda three weeks ago and since the pair have received some more great news.
Against the word of doctors and medical science, Amanda fell pregnant. Todd announced the news on Instagram, hilariously exclaiming, ‘It still works!’
Speaking exclusively to UNILAD, Todd explained the unexpected arrival:
According to doctors, it would be much more difficult for this to happen – and I know a lot of people that are in chairs from similar injuries who are struggling to start a family.
I’m able to have sex, that was never an issue. But the whole ‘ending’ was very rare for me. It’s happened only a few times since my injury over two years ago.
So when we found out this happened we were both extremely shocked and excited.
Yesterday, Amanda and Todd found out they are to have a baby boy.
Todd continued:
She was very shocked about the pregnancy. We figured we would have to use in vitro or something, since conceiving naturally is pretty rare. So when it happened we were both blown away. But as time went on we started to get less nervous and more excited.
And she was ecstatic when we found out it was a boy. We both wanted to have a boy so when we found out she cried, and I teared up a bit.
Todd and Amanda have overcome obstacles most of us will never have to face in our relationships.
Amanda wrote:
I admire Todd for the struggles he’s been through and hardship he now faces with being in a wheel chair and unable to walk. He is in constant pain from his injury, yet finds a way to put on a happy face in order to love me and others well.
I think it takes patience, understanding, and a humble heart to love on someone in his situation, and I am so thankful I’ve been given the opportunity to spend my life with this man. We are blessed to have each other and are truly a perfect match.
Hoping to save up some money to raise their baby together, the newly engaged couple have entered a competition to win their dream wedding.
They are hoping to get married in Orange County, where Amanda grew up, and you can help them get there by voting online now.
Congratulations to both Todd and Amanda; a couple who have perfectly demonstrated how patience, love and understanding can conquer anything.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.