I Pretended to Be Disabled to Get with a Girl – Story of the Day

A lovely girl met a young man in a wheelchair and fell in love with him, even though her family and friends did not approve.

Susan Avery was on her way to work one Monday morning when she noticed a young man in a wheelchair struggling to get onto the subway platform. Even though she was late, she stopped to lend a helping hand.

The young man smiled at her and thanked her. Then he asked Susan if he could show his appreciation by taking her out to dinner. Susan looked into his beautiful brown eyes and couldn't say no -- and that was how she changed her life.

The young man, who introduced himself as Karl, turned out to be incredibly charming and sweet-natured. On their first date, the two talked until the restaurant manager came over and apologetically told them they were closing.

The next day Karl called and asked Susan out on another date, then another and another... Before long, Karl and Susan were spending all their free time together, realizing that she was in love.

Susan's best friends didn't approve of the relationship. "Susan, do you have any idea what you're getting into? It looks like he's quite serious."

Susan answered sharply: "Good because I'm feeling pretty serious about Karl."

Dana, Susan's best friend, tried to reason with her: "Susan, he's in a wheelchair, you'll never have a normal life -- and you've always wanted children."

The wedding day finally came and Susan stood in her wedding gown with her bridesmaids anxiously waiting for Karl to arrive.

Susan shook her head. "If we can't have our own, we'll adopt. I love him, and I want him. I just hope he feels the same about me."

Karl did, and a few months later, he popped the question and presented Susan with a stunning engagement ring. Susan accepted, of course, and couldn't wait to share her news with her mother and her friends.

She called her mother: "Mom, you'll never guess! Karl asked me to marry him!"

"Well, at least I hope you were sensible enough to turn him down!"

Susan was upset: "No, mother, I accepted. I love Karl!"

"Love! Well, you'll see how much it's worth being married to a penniless cripple!"

"Stop it, mom! Karl is not penniless. He has a job with the world's top software company. He earns a good salary, and so do I: and don't EVER call him a cripple again!"

Susan's friends' reactions were pretty much in the same line. Dana peered at the engagement ring. "That's so big it's got to be fake!"

Susan blushed and pulled her hand away. "I love it! It's beautiful!"

Falon, another one of Susan's friends, laughed cynically. "It's a zircon, babe! Or else a cheap flawed diamond -- just like your fiancée."

Susan was hurt by her mother and her family's attitude, but she was determined to marry Karl. She loved him, and he loved her, and that was all that mattered to Susan.

The wedding day finally came, and Susan stood in her wedding gown with her bridesmaids anxiously waiting for Karl to arrive. He was late! Susan was starting to worry when a limousine pulled up in front of the church.

"I'm sure that's Karl!" Susan cried excitedly.

But the chauffeur didn't come around to help him get into his wheelchair. Instead, a tall, handsome man stepped out of the car and walked towards Susan. Susan couldn't believe her eyes. It was Karl!

"Karl!" she gasped, "What...What does this mean?"

Karl took Susan's hands in his. "Susan, forgive me. You see, when we met, I was in a wheelchair recovering from a car accident. I couldn't believe that you'd go out with me, that you cared for me despite the wheelchair."

Susan was confused. "Of course I did! Why would you think..."

"Most women in my life were there for the money, Susan. They pretended they loved me, and it was all lies. You loved me, even though you believed I was a poor cripple."

"Karl, I don't understand..."

"I love you, Susan, with all my heart, and I hope you'll forgive me."

"Of course I do, Karl. I love you too..."

The lovebirds kissed, but Falon still wasn't satisfied with Karl's explanation. "Hold on a moment there, buddy! What do you mean the other women were there for your money?"

Karl blushed. He turned to Susan and explained: "I don't work for the largest software company in the world. I own it."

Even Susan's mother was overwhelmed and became Karl's biggest fan -- and yes, the ring was quite real! But for Susan, it was all the same. She'd loved Karl poor and in a wheelchair, and none of it made any difference to her.

What we can learn from Susan's story:

1. Don't judge people by their appearance. Susan took the time to get to know Karl and fell in love with the person he was, not his body or money.

2. Follow your heart. Despite everyone's disapproval of her dating a man in a wheelchair, Susan trusted in her own judgment and her feelings.

3. True love is selfless. Susan's love for Karl was selfless and unconditional. She loved Karl for himself, not his status or his wealth.

Share this story with your friends. It might inspire people to share their own stories or to help someone else.

Any resemblance in this story to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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