I was able to capture a magical romantic moment with circumstances that defy logic and timing, because I was never supposed to be there.

Our party experienced a 45-minute delay. The freighter appeared upstream from the Bridge. I grabbed the camera and went to the parking lot at the beach.

I captured a series of images of the freighter in motion, then noticed the gull and the couple on the bench being romantic. I snuck over to the right to add them to the last pictures.

The picture was published, and their family recognized them and contacted the publisher to request permission to contact me.

The result was the discovery of a romance that developed over 2 summers of employment at Mackinac City/Mackinac Island, an unwillingness to part at the end of the second summer, a proposal, a marriage, and their first child!

They contacted me, sent the picture of the ultrasound, and informed me the package containing the photos and the written story is in a safe deposit box, so they can pass the legacy on to their children.

The person who contacted me lives on the lake where we vacation, and her brother was the A.D. of my High School when I was there.

All from a photo I never should have taken!