They Met While Pushing Wheelchairs During South Side Irish Parade

CHICAGO - Our callout for South Side Irish Parade love stories has garnered this gem from Robert Serb, who tells us of how he met his wife, Diana during the South Side Irish Parade 25 years ago. If you'd like to share the story of how you and your spouse or significant other met at the parade, email it to me at tim.moran@patch.com

Here's the story of Robert and Diana:

My wife and I met at the South Side Parade in 1994. I had just gotten a job at a home for people with disabilities, and on my first day they sent me to push a person in a wheelchair for the very first time—the entire two-mile length of the South Side St. Patrick’s Day Parade, in front of thousands of people. I was really nervous, but after a few hundred feet the most beautiful girl, with a smile a mile wide, suddenly appeared at my side, also pushing a wheelchair and challenging us to a race. Her smile and laugh were infectious, and she made the parade—and my first day on the job—an absolute blast.

We dated for over a year afterwards, and although we eventually broke up we remained good friends and confidantes. Ten years later we were both single, after some less-than-stellar relationships on both our parts, and decided, since we were best friends, to try dating again. That was the best decision we ever made, and a few years later her four-year old son escorted his Mother down the aisle at our wedding.

We’ve been married for eleven years, have three wonderful children, and I could not imagine life without her—she’s my rock. I still vividly remember meeting her at the Parade, especially her huge smile and how she made the whole experience fun—and just about every experience since then.

Robert and Diana Serb