But when Cupid’s arrow hits the mark, destiny tends to take over.

That’s exactly what happened to one young Hanoi couple who tied the knot just weeks after they first met. But this is no ordinary relationship.

Both Nguyen Thi Le Thu and Doan Ngoc Bao are amputees who have both lost one of their legs.

Thu was just 10 years' old when she got her right leg trapped in heavy machinery which resulted in injuries so bad, it had to be amputated.

Bao and Thu got married after less than three months of dating. — Photo courtesy of Le Thu

Bao suffered from elephantiasis tropica since he was a child and in 2012, doctors advised him the best course of action was to remove his left leg.

“If we stand alone then it will be incomplete, but together we make a perfect match,” said Thu, 26.

“Maybe others look at this as a disability, but to us this loss is not a disadvantage, but a piece of good fortune that created a link between us, a chance to meet and bring us together.

“And now we have become husband and wife.”

Thu works as an accountant, and despite his disability, Bao teaches children how to roller skate. The couple are expecting their first child in November.

Bao, 27, said: “We knew about each other before dating because of mutual friends. And many people wanted to introduce us. So we had heard about each other.”

The two started chatting on Facebook and quickly discovered a deep meaning in their messages.

Thu said: “I saw a picture of him and his friends in a running contest on Facebook and at that time, I thought his situation was just like me.

“A person who is in the same situation as me but has such a bright smile and optimistic attitude, I like that and think it is really attractive.

“Then I looked through his Facebook and sent an invitation to make friends. I was the one who took the initiative.”

The newlywed couple are expecting their first child in November. — Photo courtesy of Le Thu

Finally, the couple met and it was love at first sight. Bao took his new girlfriend home to meet his family, and from that moment they knew they were destined to walk down the aisle together.

“From when we met to when we got married, it took less than three months,” Thu said.

“The first time I went to his home, we just thought of it as visiting a friend’s house. He called home to inform his parents he would be bringing his girlfriend with him.

“But after seeing me, his family were in total agreement and started talking about preparing for a wedding.

“While my family didn’t even know that I was seeing him, his family thought of a wedding day and everything else.

“Because the two families supported it, our marriage was faster than normal.”

The couple feel that because they got married so quickly, now is the time for dating and getting to know all about each other.

“After the wedding, we always feel new and think that now is the time to start learning more about each other,” Thu said.

“Sometimes, after work, we can go to watch movies, go to coffee shops and go to Hoan Kiem Lake for sightseeing. In general, we are just like a dating couple.”

And that’s exactly what they are, just like any other young couple in love. The only difference is, it was life changing misfortunes that brought them together.  

Bao said: “The fact is that everyone has their own circumstances, their own lives, so it is difficult to say words of encouragement.

“I just want to say that we have to keep trying. First is to live for present, second is to learn to accept and weather the storm.”

Thu added: “I think everyone has a missing piece of the puzzle, whether it is sooner or later they will meet their destiny.

“So what we have to do is live our lives being content, happy and optimistic.

“We should treasure our lives and make us the best version of ourselves then surely sooner or later we can meet our other halves.”

It took individual tragedies to bring this young couple together, but as they prepare to welcome their first child into the world, they couldn’t be any happier with the hands they have been dealt.  VNS

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