Some people search for love throughout their entire lives. In 2011, Heidi Parker and Ed Savitt became one of the lucky ones. The two met in college and soon knew they were destined to be together. But when Heidi's mother saw her fiance, she was reminded of a particular memory.
Heidi and Ed's story has made international headlines as a seemingly impossible story. Learn what the internet is freaking out about by following their journey.
Heidi Parker's College Adventure
In 2011, 18-year-old Heidi Parker left her home of Sheffield, South Yorkshire to head to New Castle University. She moved to Bodrum to pursue her major in Economics and Business Management. Her parents, Kay and Keith Parker, traveled to the university to help her move in.
During her first year, Heidi lived in a student house with her classmates. The girls had fun there, but when Heidi moved out, her life changed forever.
Her Move-In Encounter
Eventually, Heidi moved out of her housing and into an off-campus apartment. As she moved out, a group of guys also moved in. Heidi noticed one man; as she described it, "We just spotted each other." The two spoke briefly before they parted ways.
Heidi admitted that she "forgot about him" until later. In the hustle-and-bustle, the two forgot to exchange names. But Heidi would end up seeing him later.
She May Have Forgotten, But He Didn't
Heidi moved into a new apartment that was far from campus. As she adjusted to her new abode, she kept in touch about her day to day with her mother, Kay. She also began her new school year as any student would.
Just a week after moving in, however, she received a peculiar Facebook message. The sender wasn't on her friends list, but she decided to answer it anyway because she recognized him.
One Facebook Message Changed Her Life
The person who Facebooked Heidi was named Ed Savitt. He was the same person who talked to her as he moved into her previous flat. Ed couldn't figure out how the tumble drier worked. After finding Heidi's name on some mail, he decided to message her.
Heidi, who vaguely remembered the stranger, decided to head over to her old room to help him. She later admitted that she "let him know...basically because he was hot."
Hitting It Off Over Laundry
Heidi fulfilled her promise by visiting Ed's place. She later said, "We got chatting and hit it off pretty much instantly." The two immediately realized that they had similar interests. Ed, who was from London, majored in Business and Psychology. He also adored sports as Heidi did.
Although Heidi didn't know it at the time, Ed was head over heels for her. They both enjoyed each other so much that they decided to meet again later. And this time, it wouldn't be over laundry.
Their Relationship Grew Quickly
Ed and Heidi continued to get together more and more often. Their friendship quickly advanced into a relationship, and the pair couldn't be happier. Since they were attached at the hip, their university friends called them "college sweethearts."
"I thought he was gorgeous," Heidi said in a later interview. "I thought he was actually amazing. All I can remember thinking is, 'Wow, he is hot.'" Although she may not have known, Ed was thinking the same thing.
Now, They're In It For The Long Run
Heidi kept her parents in touch about her and Ed's relationship. At first, her mother, Kay, worried about their fast attachment. But as four years flew by, it became clear that Heidi and Ed were in it for the long run.
After Ed and Heidi graduated, they remained together. They rented an apartment in Wandsworth, London. With similar goals and a strong relationship, they embarked on finding new jobs together.
How Four Years Became Forever
After college, Heidi and Ed remained together. Heidi worked as a PR Manager at Sony Interactive Entertainment, while Ed worked to open his own business, DropShot Coffee. Even as recent college graduates, the two were quite successful living on their own.
In 2015, Ed finally popped the question. It became official that the couple took their relationship seriously. "We knew we were going to be together forever," Heidi later said.
At Last, Their Mothers Meet
After Ed and Heidi got engaged, they decided to celebrate with their families. They invited both of their mothers to their apartment in southwest London. The two had never met each other before.
As with any new couple, Heidi and Ed were nervous about their parents' meeting. But their mothers quickly bonded as they celebrated the engagement. Ed's mother, Fiona, shared Kay Parker's love of sailing. They soon began sharing family stories.
Their Family Vacations Were Quite Similar...
As expected, the couple's parents began sharing their childhood stories. Like many British families, the Parkers spent many vacations in the Mediterranean region. Fiona confirmed that her family also traveled abroad during the holidays and enjoyed being along the water.
Naturally, Kay and Fiona shared several experiences from their similar family holidays. But one story stood out in particular, and it ended up bothering both mothers for some time, trying to figure it out.
...Almost Too Similar
According to Heidi, the two mothers were sharing stories. Then "out of nowhere," Kay told her daughter Heidi, "When you were on holiday in Turkey, and you were little, you had a little boyfriend called Ed."
Kay shared that in 1997, the Parker family took a two-week vacation in Gumbet. There, Heidi befriended another six-year-old boy. The two held hands throughout the holiday and called each other "boyfriend and girlfriend."
What Began As A Fun Story Soon Turned Eerie
Fiona was fascinated by the story. She and her family visited Turkey around the same time. The eeriness of this tale made everyone at the dinner feel uneasy. Although the story was strange, the family dinner soon moved on to a different topic.
Both mothers wrote the story off as a wild coincidence. Heidi and Ed clarified that they wanted to marry by the end of the year, to which both parents agreed.
Was It Just A Coincidence?
After the dinner, the families departed and returned to their busy lives. With a wedding rapidly approaching, both families had a lot of work to do.
However, Kay couldn't get the strange coincidence out of her mind. A few days after the dinner, she called Fiona to talk about it. Fiona had also pondered the mystery. They agreed that there might have been more to the story than they had thought.
...Or Was It More Than That?
As Kay and Fiona spoke, nothing more came up. The two brushed the story off as a coincidence. She hung up, unaware of the life-changing revelation they had stumbled upon.
Two weeks later, Kay made an impulsive decision. She decided to clean through her attic to make room for wedding supplies. As she rummaged through her belongings, she threw away and reorganized family items. That's when she stumbled upon a dusty photo album.
Finally--The Photo Album
Kay had found a photo album from the year 1997. She couldn't believe it; she had stumbled upon the same year that she and Fiona talked about weeks prior. The album contained photographs of her family vacation in Turkey.
Kay flipped through to July of 1997. She found a picture of Heidi in her bathing suit next to a young blonde boy. Immediately, Kay recognized the boy. She understood that this was more than just a coincidence.
The Couple Met Many Years Before
Kay immediately called Fiona. She revealed that Fiona's son, Ed, was the young boy who held hands with Heidi in Turkey. "I was screaming," Kay Parker recalled. "It was just unreal."
After the call, Kay sent Fiona her photo of a little boy called Ed. Fiona confirmed that this boy was Ed Savitt, Heidi's future fiance. They had no idea that the couple met 14 years before their encounter at university.
More Photos Emerge
"When Kay sent me the photo of a little boy called Ed, I shrieked," Fiona later said. "'Oh my goodness, that's Ed!' It was unbelievable." Immediately after, Fiona rummaged through her photo albums. Sure enough, Heidi appeared in the Savitt family albums, smiling and holding hands with Ed.
Fiona uncovered five more photos of Ed and Heidi. She noticed that the couple's siblings also played together during the vacation. Both of their families had met, and nobody knew.
How Did The Couple React?
Kay Parker sent the photo to her daughter. When Heidi received it, she immediately recognized Ed. "I was so shocked [that] I actually had to lie down," Heidi later said. "Ed was amazed too...we couldn't believe it."
Heidi called her mother, practically screaming. "I just yelled, 'Mum--you know who that is!'" Heidi said. Not only had the couple met earlier in life, but their siblings and parents had also met earlier, too.
How Do They Celebrate? By Mirroring The Photo
Ed and Heidi's families recommended that the two mirror the picture for their wedding invitations. The couple bought similar swimsuits and posed in the way they did as six-year-olds. After they posted the comparison to Facebook, it quickly went viral.
"None of us had any idea whatsoever that Heidi and Ed had met before university," Kay said. "But during that two-week holiday, they held hands most of the time."
And No, They Didn't Remember It
"I have no memory of meeting Ed as a child," Heidi said. "But from the photos, we had been spending an awful lot of time together while we were on holiday."
Despite not remembering, the discovery only deepened Ed and Heidi's relationship. "It's crazy to think we could have gotten married, shared our lives together, but then never found out about this," Heidi continued. It was truly a unique situation.
Were They Destined To Be Together?
Kay Parker believed that Ed and Heidi's initial meeting sparked their former friendship. "Perhaps they just had a subconscious realization they had shared that time together when they met as adults," she said.
Heidi agreed with her mother. "I didn't believe in fate before finding that out, but there's no arguing with it--we're clearly destined to be together!" she exclaimed. "From the moment we started dating, we were inseparable, and knew we were going to be together forever."
Now, They'll Always Stay Together
In the summer of 2016, the star-crossed lovers finally married. Ed and Heidi exchanged vows in a 12th-century castle in Derbyshire. The setting reflected their long relationship that blossomed at age six.
The wedding was beautiful, and both families got along swimmingly. The two sets of parents, Jonathon and Fiona Savitt and Kay and Keith Parker, planned vacations together. It was a night that both family and guests would never forget.
Their "Movie Plot" Wedding Story
After their wedding, Ed and Heidi vacationed in the Maldives. They got to tell plenty of people about their fantastical story. "It was brilliant," Heidi reported. "We love telling people how we met twice."
Since their story went viral, Heidi and Ed have received plenty of ecstatic responses. "People keep telling us that it must be fate and that it's like the plot of a movie!" Heidi added. It seemed too good to be true.
Ed And Heidi Now
Today, Ed's coffee shop, DropShot Coffee, is now open in Southfields, London. The couple is happily married and still living in Ed's home city.
In 2019, the couple returned to their university town of Bodrum. "It was really exciting to go back to where the miracle began," Heidi said. The knowledge of their past only made their relationship stronger. However, they're comforted with the knowledge that even without the coincidence, they decided to live together forever.
These Preschool Sweethearts Lost Touch, But 20 Years Later Everything Changed
The story of Matt Grodsky and Laura Scheel starts nearly 25 years ago. The two met at their Phoenix, Arizona preschool when they were just three years old. Right away, the pair became best friends.
Matt first noticed Laura on the playground and knew he wanted to be her friend, so he started following her around. Soon enough, Laura warmed up to Matt and they became inseparable. Although their parents thought their friendship was adorable, they didn't think much of it. After all, they were just little kids.
Laura Thought Matt Was a Total Goofball
Matt knew he wanted to be friends with Laura so he would follow Laura around the playground all day. He even said in an interview with Today, "I don't remember the first time I saw her, but she was always a girl who let me follow her around."
At first, Laura thought he was a total goofball for following her around, but she realized just how funny and warm-hearted Matt really was. Soon enough, she and Matt were best friends. The pals did everything together, from playing hide-and-seek on the playground to mischievously staying up during naptime.
The Two Were Inseparable
For Matt and Laura, playing together at preschool wasn't enough — they wanted to hang out more! By this point, the two best friends’ parents knew each other so the little ones started playing on the weekends too. They planned fun play dates and went to the movies with each other, with parent chaperones of course. Matt would even grab Laura’s hand during the scary parts.
The two pals were clearly inseparable, and although Matt was just four years old, he wanted everyone to know how he felt about Laura!
Matt Always Tried to Impress Laura
It's funny to think back to when we were little kids and remember the things we did to impress our friends. Whether it was showing off our collection of Pokemon cards or swinging extra high on the swings, those days were much sweeter!
Matt loved his best friend Laura and was always trying to impress her. One of his favorite ways to show off how cool he was was to recite lines from his favorite Disney movies like The Lion King.
Laura Taught Matt Lots of Things
Matt may have spent lots of time trying to impress Laura, but Laura effortlessly impressed him! She even taught him lots of things too. Laura was the one who taught Matt how to swing on the swings. She also taught him how to draw rolling hills and even how to eat string cheese the right way.
These things might seem minor to us now, but when someone teaches you things like this as a kid, they become the moments you really remember for the rest of your life.
Little Lovebirds
By the time they were four years old, everyone knew that Matt and Laura were best friends. It was easy to see. After all, while at preschool, the pair was attached at the hip. And they hung out every weekend! Their friendship was undoubtedly special. Everyone thought the two were little lovebirds — even Matt.
One day, Matt stood in front of the class and declared that one day, he would marry Laura, saying, "Just you wait!" Unsurprisingly, his classmates laughed at him. After all, how many of your childhood friends to you still keep in touch with?
Preschool Pals
While no one took Matt's declaration seriously, he and Laura remained best friends throughout preschool. They continued to set up playdates outside of school and always attended each other’s birthday parties.
Even though they were just four years old, their bond was clearly special. It truly seemed like Matt’s declaration might not even be so absurd! But as preschool came to a close, the pals we about to go through a big change — starting kindergarten.
Matt and Laura Start Kindergarten
Before they knew it, the day was finally here: Matt and Laura were starting kindergarten. The two had graduated from preschool and were ready to start the next chapter of their lives.
Starting kindergarten is a big step in any child's life, but it was even more bittersweet for Matt and Laura. The preschool pals weren’t sure if they would be put in the same class and were starting to realize their days of playing with each other all day might be over.
The Friends Went to Different Elementary Schools
Not only were Matt and Laura not in the same kindergarten class, they weren't even enrolled in the same school. Of course, this wasn’t a deliberate choice made by their parents, but rather, it was dictated by where they lived.
Still, the best friends were upset when they realized they wouldn’t be able to play together as much anymore. Their parents didn’t seem to understand how attached they were either, and simply assured the pals they would still get to play together on the weekends.
They Hung Out Every Now and Then
Their parents assured the two pals that would still get to play together on the weekends, but this was only partially true. Life gets busy, and before they knew it, Matt and Laura's time together was steadily dwindling.
Still, the pals tried to hang out whenever they could. They even took this sweet Christmas card photo with two of their other friends one year! Unfortunately, as the two finished kindergarten and went on to other grades, they started seeing each other less and less.
They Only Kept In Touch Through Christmas Cards
As the years went by, Matt and Laura saw each other less and less. While they once played every day and even took Christmas photos together, now the old friends only kept in touch when their families exchanged Christmas cards in the mail.
While the two missed each other, they were busy with school and homework and family and new friends and were simply going through the motions of everyday life.
Distance Doesn't Always Make the Heart Grow Fonder
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but this isn't always true. It definitely wasn’t true for Matt and Laura. Several years passed and the two old friends no longer eagerly awaited the new Christmas cards. They were growing up and living their own separate lives.
As we grow up and are constantly learning new things, meeting new people, and having new experiences, it’s all too easy to forget about our past. As far as it seemed, Matt and Laura had had a sweet childhood friendship, but they’d grown up and moved on.
The Friends Started Their Freshman Year of High School
Before they knew it, nearly 10 years had passed and Matt and Laura were ready to start high school. Again, they were enrolled in different schools. At this point, the old pals rarely thought about each other. After all, it had been almost a decade since they were really close.
But one day, something unbelievable happened. During the fall of her freshman year, Laura was on her friend's phone when she noticed a name pop up.
Old Memories Came Flooding Back
Laura was shocked to see Matt's name before her eyes and suddenly the sweet childhood memories came flooding back! She asked her friend how she knew Matt and apparently, the two had met in middle school. Suddenly, the world was feeling much, much smaller!
Laura told her friend about her and Matt’s preschool romance. She decided it was best not to think too much about it, but her friend had other ideas…
Laura's Friend Decides to Play Matchmaker
Immediately after Laura finished telling her friend about her and Matt's preschool romance, her friend got a crazy idea. She wanted to set Matt and Laura up! Laura’s friend thought about it and realized it could be a good match.
Laura’s friends told her the idea, but Laura was hesitant at first. After all, she knew nothing about Matt anymore. The two hadn’t spoken in years. There was no way things would be the same. Or would they?
Laura's Friend Gave Matt Her Number
Laura was understandably nervous at the idea of being set up with Matt. Not only was she nervous, but she wasn't even sure if she should really have a boyfriend at the time.
She even told People, "I was a freshman in high school so I was like, 'I don’t think so!’" But despite her reservations, Laura’s friend had a good feeling about her two friends. She went ahead and gave Laura’s number to Matt.
Matt Texted Laura Right Away
Not long after Matt got Laura's number, he texted her and soon enough, the two were chatting and agreed to meet up. They set up a date and decided they would go see a movie together.
The two met up and immediately it was like no time at all had passed. Matt even told People that he knew it was love at first sight. Just like when they were in preschool, the old friends hit it off right away!
They Hit It Off!
While Matt and Laura had been best friends in preschool, there was no way to know that they would hit it off now that they were teenagers. But when they met up, it was like no time had passed. Their first date went off without a hitch and soon enough, the two started officially dating, becoming boyfriend and girlfriend.
Although they went to different high schools, now that they were able to drive, it was easier to keep up their relationship. Once again, they were inseparable, accompanying each other to high school dances and other functions.
They Had a Tough Decision to Make
With their senior year in full swing and college on the horizon, the couple had a tough decision to make. They had already been separated once before and didn't want to lose each other again. But they were going to different colleges in different states and didn’t want to miss out on experiences either.
"Right after we graduated from high school, we were pretty hesitant," said Laura in an interview with People. “We were like, 'Do we stay together? Do we try to make it work?’” They had gone to different schools before, but this time, they would be 1,000 miles away.
Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder This Time
Eventually, Matt and Laura decided they would go away to their respective colleges but would try to make a long distance relationship work. While Laura went to Northern Arizona University, Matt moved to Chicago to attend Columbia College. They were now 1,600 miles away from each other.
But while distance may not have made their hearts grow fonder when they were just kids, but this time it was different. They were committed to making it work!
They Were Up for the Challenge
The couple knew being so far apart would be a challenge, but they cared so deeply for each other that they wanted to do everything they could to make it work. They made sure to fully immerse themselves in college life, but also keep up a healthy relationship with one another.
This wasn't always easy, especially because they were in different time zones. But thanks to social media and Facetime, they were able to "see" each other every day. They even made frequent trips to visit one another in their new homes.
They Were Apart for Nearly Six Months
Although they had social media and Facetime to keep up with one another, they still had long stretches of times when they couldn't see each in person. The longest stretch they had between visits was nearly six months.
While they were college, they each realized something big: they truly wanted to be together. But the distance between them was getting to be a challenge for both of them — especially Matt. He knew he had to do something about it.
Senior Year
Soon enough, it was senior year all over again, only this time it was their senior year of college. Matt knew he wanted to celebrate the two starting their last year of school in a big way. While they were both home during the summer, he had an idea for an adorable date.
Since they both had been working so hard in school, he wanted to surprise Laura with a date that would be relaxing and romantic. He planned a picnic at their preschool! How sweet is that?
Matt Had Something Else Up His Sleeve
While Matt did indeed plan to have a relaxing and romantic picnic at the sweet location, that wasn't all that he had planned.
"I convinced Laura that we were going to a picnic at the preschool. We had just finished up our junior year of college, so I framed it as a nice relaxing date," Matt told the Huffington Post. Although they had been together for years at this point, Laura still never saw this coming.
Laura Was So Touched by the Thoughtful Gesture
Laura knew that Matt had planned a picnic for the two of them, but she had no idea that he had planned for their picnic to be at the preschool where they met nearly 20 years ago.
Matt was more than excited to surprise Laura with the gesture. He thought the preschool was the perfect symbol to help celebrate their relationship. He truly valued their unique love story and wanted to take Laura back to where it all started.
Matt Was Noticeably Nervous
Before the couple arrived at the preschool Laura noticed that Matt appeared to be nervous. He seemed to be constantly fidgeting in his seat the whole car ride. She figured it was because he was taking her to a surprise location.
When they finally arrived at the preschool, Laura was completely overwhelmed by the thoughtful gesture. She already felt so lucky to have Matt in her life, but now her emotions were running high.
Will You Marry Me?
Laura was already so surprised that Matt had planned this picnic for the two of them at their old preschool. But she was about to get an even bigger surprise when suddenly, Matt got down on one knee and asked his girl to marry him.
Laura was shocked. "I was like, 'Oh my gosh, is this happening?' I saw the ring and was like, ‘This is gorgeous. I’m so happy with it.’ I had no idea," she told People. But of course, she said, “YES!”