two hands holding each other, one white one black
Jade Small
Jade Small
March 12, 2024 ·  4 min read

‘You’re going to regret this’: High school sweethearts marry at 19 despite harsh criticism

Some people go through life yearning to meet the one. Many times, we miss opportunities for long-lasting relationships. Thanks to the curve balls that life throws us. One couple decided to throw caution to the wind and got married when they were 19 years old! Despite the many warnings, they will regret their decision, they are still going strong today! The high school sweethearts shared their story with Love What Matters and it is worth retelling for more hearts to hear.

High school Sweethearts

Hannah and Donovan first met when they were 16 years old in high school. They were high school sweethearts who ended up getting married at the young age of 19! Hannah described their love story on Love What Matters. She told how they defied all odds which were other people’s warnings they might regret their decision. Her story started off with their first meeting, which happened while picking up her younger brother from sports practice.

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A post shared by Hannah (@hellohannahjean)

“It was a cool, Fall evening in Arizona the night I met my husband. I was 16 years old and having recently gotten my driver’s license, it made me the perfect chauffer for my 13-year-old brother who was too cool to get rides from mom and dad. I drove to the high school my brother’s club basketball practice was being held at to pick him up. His practice was running late so I navigated the unfamiliar campus looking for the gymnasium to wait for him in there.”

Their first meeting

This was where she first laid eyes on her future husband. He was hard not to notice, wobbling forward with a pair of crutches. Hannah was not sure where to find her brother, as the practice was held at a different school to theirs. Besides the crutches, Donovan’s black curly hair, not to mention his smile, had already caught her attention. Little did she know they were going to be high school sweethearts, and ultimately so much more.

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“I was headed toward a random entrance when a football player named Donovan walked out on crutches, holding a bag of ice. I immediately noticed his black, curly hair and his charming smile as he attempted to smile at me through his obvious pain. ‘You okay there?,’ I asked, noticing his limp. He told me he had just sprained his ankle during football practice and asked me what I was doing there, knowing I wasn’t a student there.


“I told him I was looking for the gym to pick up my brother and he quickly connected the dots, observing my red hair, and said, ‘Oh, your brother’s the red headed kid who’s always here?’ After exchanging a few words and sharing a few flirtatious, coy smiles, he showed me how to find the gym. I thanked him and told him, ‘I’m so glad I ran into you,’ and it wasn’t just because of his directions,”

First date

A couple of weeks after their chance meeting, the almost high school sweethearts decided to meet up for a coffee at a Starbucks cafe. They sat for a long time chatting, but had not even placed an order yet. One of the employees at Starbucks even pointed it out to them. Little did they know they were budding high school sweethearts.

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“About an hour after his white chocolate peppermint mocha and my caramel vanilla bean frappuccino were gone, the barista who was sweeping the floor around us told us, ‘You guys must really like each other if you’ve been here this long talking and haven’t ordered a second drink.’ He was onto something.”

They clearly agreed with that Starbucks worker, because Hannah soon found herself following a list of instructions on a scavenger hunt created by Donovan. Eventually, the hunt ended with Donovan standing under the town’s Christmas tree. He asked her to their high school Winter Formal – this was to be the high school sweetheart’s first date

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High school sweethearts married at 19

After they graduated from high school, the high school sweethearts were separated by their choice of college. The distance between them was not always fun and games and they did end up breaking up. But, it was not the end of their love story. After a while, they decided to meet up again. The moment Hannah saw Donovan, it all came rushing back. The memories, the love, and the reasons why they loved each other. He was also on crutches again (knee surgery recovery) which probably reminded her of their first meeting.

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A post shared by Hannah (@hellohannahjean)

From that moment, they knew they loved each other and wanted to get married. So, they did! The two high school sweetheart lovebirds ignored those who tried to warn them they were too young to be married. They went along with it anyway. Hannah described how it wasn’t meant to be a flashy affair, but rather a celebration of their love.

”We were only 19 years old and despite so many people telling me, ‘You’re going to regret this,’ I was so sure. Even now, four years later, I’ve never been more sure about anything. Today we thank ourselves for following our hearts and nobody else’s opinion. Getting married at 19 was not trendy, but it’s our unique love story.”

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A post shared by Hannah (@hellohannahjean)

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