When Tyrel and Joana look back at their wedding day, one of their proudest moments was asking guests to place a special note in each of their shoeboxes. Inside the note was the story of how the couple had first met and got married, and it was there for a reason.
The note was the couple’s way of inspiring those who give and receive charity. It was intended to show just how many good things can come out of selflessly helping someone in desperate need. Their story eventually reached national exposure when Joana and Tyrel were featured on Fox News.
A Charitable Wedding
The loving couple did not want an extravagant wedding and opted instead for an economic one. Joana and Tyrel only needed to have each other and felt more than blessed for their deep love. The couple asked their guests to not bring wedding presents, as they had another idea in mind.
In an ode to the charity that initially brought the two together, Joana and Tyrel asked guests to bring gifts for charity in none other than shoeboxes. They wanted to make this event special not just for them, but also for many other, less fortunate people across the world.
Many Gifts
The charity shoeboxes brought to Tyrel and Joana’s weddings were later donated to Operation Christmas Child, the very organization that had caused the original fortunate introduction between the two, to begin with. This was the moment that truly brought the couple's story full circle. They felt both blessed and excited by the event.
After the wedding, the couple drove to their honeymoon in North Carolina. They made sure to spend that time hand-delivering their shoebox gifts along the way. The two did not come out of the wedding empty-handed though, as they also received a special gift in each present.
Married Life
The two lovers began their lives as a married couple and kept sending shoebox gifts annually to Operation Christmas Child. Joana received her U.S. citizenship and moved to America to live with her husband there. The two decided to live in a small, quiet town, just the way they wanted to.
Joana and Tyrel love hiking together and going on outdoor adventures. Their romance continued to blossom and grew much stronger over the years. Thanks to the husband’s sweet job arrangement, they would often travel across the United States. Fortunately, there still was a beautiful miracle left in the tank.
Firstborn
A few years after the couple got married, Joana became pregnant, and nine months later, she happily gave birth to their first child — Harlann Jun Wolfe. The baby boy was born healthy and strong and is growing by the day. It seems that the two have a lot of luck!
Tyrel and Joana are happily married to this day, and are even more satisfied than before, now that they have a child to share their lives with. They still live in rural Idaho and often enjoy various outdoor adventures. Their story remains an inspiring and uplifting one for everyone.