In a storyline fit for a fairytale, a man who donated part of his liver to a dying stranger has now married the woman he saved.
Chris Dempsey, 38, married Heather Krueger, 27, this month.
Krueger, who had stage four liver disease, was given just months to live when Dempsey heard of her plight through a co-worker.
The former Marine knew he had to do something, so he made the brave decision to donate part of his liver to Krueger, who was then a stranger to him.
Over the course of their transplant journey, the pair fell in love and now, almost two years later, they’ve tied the knot.
Dempsey told the BBC: “I just thought to myself, I would want someone to help me or my family in that situation.”
He called Krueger in February 2015 to tell her he would be her donor. They met shortly afterwards when he took her out for lunch.
By the time they came to have the transplant, the pair had been on a couple of dates.
On the day of the operation, Dempsey was nervous but confident that everything would run smoothly.
Thankfully the transplant went well and, months later, Dempsey popped the question to Krueger during a horse and carriage ride in Chicago, where they both live.
Almost a year after the transplant took place, the pair have officially tied the knot.
“I think it was definitely more emotional - maybe more so for her and her parents - knowing what we had both been through,” said Dempsey.
“I never would have thought in a million years when I agreed to all this that I would marry her. It is amazing.”