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Incredible love story: Gallant marine weds bride whose life he saved, one year after he donated half his liver to a woman he’d never met, who had only a couple of months to live

&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"wpcnt">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"wpa">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<span class&equals;"wpa-about">Advertisements<&sol;span>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"u top&lowbar;amp">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<amp-ad width&equals;"300" height&equals;"265"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; type&equals;"pubmine"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; data-siteid&equals;"109460728"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; data-section&equals;"1">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;amp-ad>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div><div class&equals;"mol-img"><&sol;div>&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"imageCaption"><strong>What love and kindness has brought together&period; Heather Krueger and Chris Dempsey wed earlier this month after meeting over a medical crises&comma; &lbrack;for Heather&rsqb;<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6 id&equals;"ext-gen125"><span style&equals;"color&colon;&num;1f0202&semi;">Chris Dempsey wed 27-year-old Heather Krueger and got married earlier this month&comma; one year after first meeting as complete strangers during a medical emergency<&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon;&num;1f0202&semi;">Chris had voluntered to donate half his liver to Heather&comma;  who at 25 had stage four liver disease and needed a transplant<&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon;&num;1f0202&semi;">Chris didn&&num;8217&semi;t know Heather&comma; simply heard his coworker&&num;8217&semi;s cousin was in dire need of a donor<&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon;&num;1f0202&semi;">He got tested&comma; was a match and became an organ donor in an 8 hour marathon surgery<&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon;&num;1f0202&semi;">Affection grew into love&comma; the pair got married in Frankfort&comma; Illinois&comma; a year after Chris commited to saving her life<&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font"><img class&equals;"alignnone size-full wp-image-88799" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2016&sol;10&sol;heather-kreuger-and-chris-dempsey6&period;jpg" alt&equals;"heather-kreuger-and-chris-dempsey6" width&equals;"634" height&equals;"345" &sol;><&sol;p>&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mol-para-with-font"><strong>Heather told Chris during their wedding &lpar;pictured&rpar; that he is the most incredible man she has ever known&period; Before her knight in shining armor came along&comma; she was told she had less than a 50 percent chance of living for more than two months<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">A gallant former marine saved a damsel in distress and has just wound up marrrying her&period; The Illinois couple just tied the knot&comma; one year after meeting as strangers when he voluntered half his liver to save her from a potentially fatal stage 4 liver desease<br &sol;>&NewLine;The 8 hour life-saving liver transplant surgery saved Heather Krueger who was 25 when she was diagnosed&period; Doctors told her she had less than a 50 percent chance of living for more than two months&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Former Marine Chris Dempsey overheard a coworker say that his cousin needed a liver transplant&comma; with no donor in sight as many the potential donors failed one or all of the three essential conditions&colon; Good health&comma;  same blood type&comma; and similar sized a liver&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Chris told <a href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;bbc&period;com&sol;news&sol;world-us-canada-37779400">BBC<&sol;a>&colon; ”I just thought to myself&comma; I would want someone to help me or my family in that situation”&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div id&equals;"share-pictures-1" class&equals;"share-pictures-overlay"><img class&equals;"alignnone size-full wp-image-88793" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2016&sol;10&sol;heather-kreuger-and-chris-dempsey1&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Heather Kreuger and Chris Dempsey1&period;jpg" width&equals;"700" height&equals;"394" &sol;><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"imageCaption"><strong>After the carriage ride&comma; it was off to the top of the Hancock Building to ask Heather for her hand in marriage<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery"><img class&equals;"alignnone size-full wp-image-88835" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2016&sol;10&sol;heather-kreuger-and-chris-dempsey9&period;jpg" alt&equals;"heather-kreuger-and-chris-dempsey9" width&equals;"620" height&equals;"348" &sol;><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"imageCaption"><strong> &&num;8216&semi;Because of you&comma; I laugh&comma; smile and I dare to dream again&&num;8217&semi;<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery"><img class&equals;"alignnone size-full wp-image-88817" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2016&sol;10&sol;heather-kreuger-and-chris-dempsey2&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Heather Kreuger and Chris Dempsey2&period;jpg" width&equals;"700" height&equals;"394" &sol;><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"imageCaption"><strong><strong>Heather &lpar;right&rpar; and donor Chris <&sol;strong>checked into the University Of Illinois Hospital for the procedure in March 2015 <&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">Chris vlountered to test as a donor&period; Bingo&excl; Heather found her match and in the process&comma; her prince charming&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;I spent four years in the Marine Corps and learned there never to run away from anything&period; So I just said to myself&comma; &&num;8216&semi;Hey&comma; if I can help&comma; I&&num;8217&semi;m going to help&comma;&&num;8217&semi; &&num;8216&semi; Chris&comma; who now works as a code enforcement officer&comma; told <a class&equals;"" href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;cbsnews&period;com&sol;news&sol;woman-finds-perfect-stranger-to-donate-liver-which-ended-up-a-match-made-in-heaven&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"nofollow">CBS<&sol;a>&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Now was the little matter of meeting Heather for the first time&period; The young woman was in throes and shock of the diagnosis she had just received&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;By that time I could really feel my body shutting down&comma;&&num;8217&semi; she said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"> <img class&equals;"alignnone size-full wp-image-88808" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2016&sol;10&sol;heather-kreuger-and-chris-dempsey7&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Heather Kreuger and Chris Dempsey7&period;jpg" width&equals;"634" height&equals;"476" &sol;><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"imageCaption"><strong>Happy couple on their wedding day with family and friend<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery"><img class&equals;"alignnone size-full wp-image-88824" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2016&sol;10&sol;heather-kreuger-and-chris-dempsey8&period;jpg" alt&equals;"heather-kreuger-and-chris-dempsey8" width&equals;"620" height&equals;"348" &sol;><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"imageCaption"><strong>Chris and Heather side by side in hospital&comma; having survived the marathon operation<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<p>After Chris called Heather to tell her he was a match&comma; pledging to set up a fundraiser to help pay for her medical bills&period;  Recalling the sequence of events after so many prior disappointments&period; Heather who dared not raise her hopes&comma; told the <a class&equals;"" href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;chicagotribune&period;com&sol;news&sol;local&sol;breaking&sol;ct-sta-frankfort-transplant-st-0303-20150302-story&period;html" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"nofollow">Chicago Tribune<&sol;a>&colon; &&num;8216&semi;I could not believe it&period; My mom started crying&comma;&&num;8217&semi;  she said&period; &&num;8216&semi;I knew he was a good possibility&comma; but until I got that phone call&&num;8230&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;And then he wants to do a fundraiser&period; It&&num;8217&semi;s just unreal&period;&&num;8217&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Heather and Chris had lunch together and discussed the transplant&comma; all on his tab&period; Both checked into the University Of Illinois Hospital for the procedure in March 2015&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The marathon transplant operation&comma; which involved removing about half of the donor’s liver and lasting more than eight hours&comma; was quite successful&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Chris gave Heather half of his liver and both recovered&comma; well enough to tell the tale&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div id&equals;"share-pictures-7" class&equals;"share-pictures-overlay"> <img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-88839" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2016&sol;10&sol;heather-kreuger-and-chris-dempsey10&period;jpg" alt&equals;"heather-kreuger-and-chris-dempsey10" width&equals;"611" height&equals;"756" &sol;><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"imageCaption"><strong>The engagement night&comma; riding around Chicago in a horse drawn carriage<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"imageCaption">&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-embed">&NewLine;<h6><span class&equals;"embed-youtube" style&equals;"text-align&colon;center&semi; display&colon; block&semi;"><amp-youtube data-videoid&equals;"JCsrWoC2oDg" data-param-rel&equals;"1" data-param-showsearch&equals;"0" data-param-showinfo&equals;"1" data-param-iv&lowbar;load&lowbar;policy&equals;"1" data-param-fs&equals;"1" data-param-hl&equals;"en-US" data-param-autohide&equals;"2" data-param-wmode&equals;"transparent" width&equals;"620" height&equals;"349" layout&equals;"responsive"><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;youtube&period;com&sol;watch&quest;v&equals;JCsrWoC2oDg" placeholder><amp-img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;i&period;ytimg&period;com&sol;vi&sol;JCsrWoC2oDg&sol;hqdefault&period;jpg" alt&equals;"YouTube Poster" layout&equals;"fill" object-fit&equals;"cover"><noscript><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;i&period;ytimg&period;com&sol;vi&sol;JCsrWoC2oDg&sol;hqdefault&period;jpg" loading&equals;"lazy" decoding&equals;"async" alt&equals;"YouTube Poster"><&sol;noscript><&sol;amp-img><&sol;a><&sol;amp-youtube><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><strong>See their story<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div><&sol;div>&NewLine;<div><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-88771" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2016&sol;10&sol;heather-kreuger-and-chris-dempsey4&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Heather Kreuger and Chris Dempsey4&period;jpg" width&equals;"618" height&equals;"824" &sol;><&sol;div>&NewLine;<h6><strong>Mutual &&num;8216&semi;deep feelings&&num;8217&semi; before the surgery turned to love&comma; then an engagement<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div>As they got healthy again&comma; Heather and Chris&&num;8217&semi; relationship deepened&period; They had feelings for each other before the procedure&comma; but didn&&num;8217&semi;t dare speak out&comma; thinking it would be strange&period;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">in an interview with <a class&equals;"" href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;today&period;com&sol;health&sol;illinois-man-makes-life-saving-liver-donation-woman-sparking-romance-t66076" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"nofollow">Today<&sol;a>&comma; Heather recalls &&num;8216&semi;He had told me at the beginning of everything&comma; &&num;8220&semi;You owe me absolutely nothing for this&period; We can go our separate ways if that&&num;8217&semi;s what you want&comma;&&num;8221&semi; &&num;8216&semi;  she said&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;It was kind of like&comma; we do have this special bond&comma; but is this just because I&&num;8217&semi;m sick that I&&num;8217&semi;m feeling this way&quest; You had to kind of separate that&comma; but after the surgery&comma; I realized it went beyond that&period;&&num;8217&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Smitten Chris proposed to Heather in December after a romantic night that included a visit to the top of the Hancock Building and a carriage ride&period; The marriage was earlier this month&comma; Heather serenaded her groom in her vows&colon; &&num;8216&semi;You are the most incredible man I have ever known&comma;&&num;8217&semi; she told Chris&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;You believe in me and you make me feel amazing every single day&period; Because of you&comma; I laugh&comma; smile and I dare to dream again&period;&&num;8217&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;

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