- A man met the love of his life through a video he once saw of a girl before they met in person.
- Since both individuals were born with diverse abilities, the two never thought they would ever find love.
- However, after meeting her in person, they fell in love, got married, and now want to pursue having children together, despite public opinion that it may not be the best idea for them.
A couple born with neuroatypical conditions never imagined that they would be able to meet people who would accept them for who they are, much less meet the loves of their lives, and end up falling in love. Six-instrument-playing pasta-lover Riley Emlen has Asperger syndrome, and Charlotte "Charlie" Fien has Down syndrome and Autism.
The couple has been married since July 30, 2022, and will soon commemorate their first anniversary in July this year. How the couple met is an unconventional love story that neither saw coming. After seeing Fien in a video, Emlen immediately knew she was the one for him.
A screenshot of Riley Emlen and Charlotte Fien talking about their love story in an interview posted on YouTube on June 1, 2023 | Source: YouTube.com/Special Books by Special Kids
He could not forget about the beautiful girl who he knew would become his wife one day. Thus, after flying halfway across the world (Fien was based in England at the time) to meet her, Emlen wasted no time getting down on bended knee and proposing to the love of his life.
The adorable couple have been inseparable ever since and plan to welcome children in the near future. However, what they did not anticipate was facing unwarranted opposition from the public about their desire to start a family.
A screenshot of Riley Emlen and Charlotte Fien talking about what it's like to be married to each other posted on YouTube on June 1, 2023 | Source: YouTube.com/Special Books by Special Kids
Charlotte Fien and Riley Emlen's Love Story: How a Match Made in Heaven Came to Be
In an interview about their life together, Emlen recounts the story of how he first came to know of his future wife. While scrolling through his Facebook feed, the blue-eyed man came across a video on a page called BrightVibes. The footage showed a lovely girl giving an empowering speech, and Emlen was instantly captured by her beauty.
Fien's speech discussed upholding rights for people with disabilities, and taking cognizance of the video's important message, Emlen decided to share the post to his own feed. Though he discloses not engaging in any communication with Fien until six months after he had reposted the video.
Emlen revealed how for a long time, he wondered if he would ever find his soulmate and thus began to wonder if he would ever get to have children until he met Fien.
In the beginning stages of their relationship, when Emlen first saw Fien, he thought she was too good to be true, but little did he know she had sussed his profile out, too, before the two had begun talking. Deciding that she liked what she saw, Fien then sent Emlen a friend request, initiating the two-way discussions.
At first, the conversations were amiable, with the item choosing to call each other best friends as opposed to being anything more than friends. Being the bold woman she is, Fien decided to make the first move and put Emlen on the spot by asking if he loved her more than just in a friendly way.
Choosing to play it cool and wanting to make sure she felt the same way he felt about her, Emlen threw the ball back into Fien's court and asked what she would think if he had romantic feelings for her. Staking her claim over him, Fien assured Emlen she would be delighted, so the two pursued an official romantic relationship only two months after having frequent conversations.
Shortly after becoming official, it was not long before the two started talking about their next move - marriage. Fien reported not being nervous about taking the next big step with Emlen and said it was nothing short of amazing. After upgrading to video chats, the two finally met in person and spent a memorable week together.
Following their first week together, Emlen decided to fly to England and spend another week with Fien, and on their last day, he worked up the courage to propose to her at The Drummond Pub in Guilford. The special moment was heartwarming, and as soon as Emlen heard that long-awaited three-letter word: Yes, he was over the moon.
Fien was just as delighted to get engaged to the man of her dreams - sweet, amazing, kind, generous, and funny Emlen, who she says she grows to love more each day. The adorable couple enjoys married life and has already begun to shower each other with the doting actions one expects from their spouse.
The way in which the couple describes their definition of love centers around always being connected to one another. Doting husband Emlen details their love as:
"Having a feeling for each other you don't just see, but also feel in the heart and having the sense that you're together even when you're in different places during the day."
Fien says she desires to grow old with her husband because she knows no one else will look after the other better. Her favorite thing about her husband, besides his ruggedly good looks, is that he is kind and sweet. Similarly, Emlen loves his wife's beauty, kindness, affinity for travel, and the fact that he gets to come home to her every day from work.
As far as the couple's goals, they both want to have successful careers to afford them the ability to live in a lovely home and provide a great life for their future children. Of all the goals, they especially look forward to welcoming kids.
A screenshot of Riley Emlen and Charlotte Fien talking about their life together posted on YouTube on 1 June, 2023 | YouTube.com/Special Books by Special Kids
What Lies Ahead for the Happy Couple & What They Plan to Pursue Together Next
When asked how often they talk about children, Fien reports that the two discuss the matter frequently. Emlen revealed how for a long time, he wondered if he would ever find his soulmate and thus began to wonder if he would ever get to have children until he met Fien.
After he met her, he says that the two started to talk about kids quite a lot. Fien's vision of creating a stable household involves her husband learning how to maintain a neat house and clean up after the kids.
Switching gears to how Emlen thinks he has changed after Fien came into his life, the interviewer asked him whether he thought she has made him feel more comfortable with himself. On the topic, Emlen said the following:
"Yeah. In many ways, yes, because for many years, I didn't feel good about the way I looked. I felt like...I had long hair, [and] I was kind of hiding behind my hair 'cause I wasn't confident in my looks, but since she thinks I am handsome, that makes me feel more comfortable showing who I am."
Regarding having a baby, the couple is the most excited about becoming future parents despite what people may say about their parenting abilities. In a Facebook post where he provided his followers with an update on their relationship after their wedding last year, Emlen shared the following message:
"[It's important] to allow people with diverse abilities to come into the world...[and] they should be allowed to...have children. That's right, have children, [and] we intend to within a few years. Some people don't think aneurotypical people can raise children; well, as a paraeducator, I spend 30 hours a week during the school season practically raising a child...[and] Charlotte...has experience with them, too."
Fien and Emlen's love story is still going strong, and the two adore living a married couple's life. Despite what other people may think of a couple with Down syndrome, Autism, and Aspergers wanting to raise children of their own, the couple is showing every person who may doubt their abilities that they are more than capable of achieving anything they set their minds to.
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