Laura H., a small business owner, entrepreneur, and all around badass bee recently reached out to share how a connection she made on Bumble literally saved her life. Below, Laura shares her story in her own words!
“Will and I matched on Bumble. After realizing we really enjoy each other’s company but have fundamental religious differences, we decided to just be friends.
I take an annual trip to Hawaii to surf and this year, I asked Will to come with me. We have the same passion for adventure and I knew he would be a great wingman.
I love to surf at sunrise, so at 6:00am on our first day in Hawaii we took our surfboards out to catch some waves. I rode the first wave in, but as I was paddling back out I didn’t make it over the crest of the next breaking wave.
Before I knew it, I rolled under the wave while my fiberglass surfboard shot straight up in the air and came down on my head. I was underwater, so I don’t remember a whole lot. By the time I came to and pulled myself up onto the board, I was swimming in a pool of blood.
I wasn’t sure where the blood was coming from and didn’t actually care – my first thought was SHARKS! Sheer adrenaline propelled me to paddle all the way into shore, where Will met me. It wasn’t until I was safely on shore that I realized my head was throbbing thanks to a 3.5 inch deep incision. Blood was streaming down my face and body.
Thank goodness Will knew what to do. When I started panicking, he immediately started cleaning the wound with fresh water and clamped his hand over my bloody head to 1) hold my head together and 2) stop the bleeding.
Will drove me to the ER, kept me warm so I wouldn’t go into shock, and held my hand while the doctor put nine staples in my head. And it didn’t stop there. I was stuck halfway across the world, away from the comfort of my support system, with a Traumatic Brain Injury (a severe concussion). I couldn’t participate in any of the adventures we had planned.
Over the nine days we were in Hawaii, Will didn’t complain ONCE. Instead, he cooked me food so the medicine wouldn’t upset my stomach, carefully washed my hair around the staples, and checked on me each night.
He promised me he wasn’t disappointed we couldn’t go skydiving and told me movie night was more his style so I wouldn’t feel bad. He never got frustrated when I asked him if I was going to be OK for the 999th time. (And then another 999 times after that.)
When I finally returned to my hometown, Will continued to check in on me to make sure my recovery was progressing.
I tell you all this to prove that IRL Prince Charmings DO exist. They might not pick you up in a carriage, but they can hold your head together when it’s coming undone (literally).
Here’s the catch: YOU have to swipe right and take that first step. Whether you’re looking for a friend or a date, there are great people out there. It’s up to you to make the first move and find them.”
Thanks so much for sharing your story with us, Laura! We’re so happy you made a lasting connection on Bumble!
Bumble is about connection, whether that’s a friendship, a relationship, or something completely different. Didn’t meet “The One”, but did meet someone who changed your life on Bumble? We want to hear your story! Email us at stories@team.bumble.com – we’ll send you swag!