By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
February 13, 2000
Becky Kratt doesn’t know it yet, but her boyfriend is going to make one of her dreams come true.
“She once told me that she had always wanted to go skydiving,” says Donald Von Wahlde, 40. “So I’ve made arrangements for us to go on our first jumps together.
“This will be our first Valentine’s Day together, so I felt a little pressure to come up with something memorable. And since I already know that she has been dying to try this, I think this will be something she doesn’t forget.”
One would hope. The couple also has plans to participate in a 5-mile race the morning after–apropos considering that Donald and Becky, 30, met during a race last July in Florida.
Donald, who lives in Peotone, flew down to Florida on Thursday to spend a long weekend with Becky. He met her last summer at a race in Fort Myers Beach. An athlete whose idea of relaxation usually involves some kind of physical activity, he dawdled around at the finish line waiting for Becky.
“I had seen her and thought she was just really pretty,” he says. “I wasn’t sure what to say so I talked about how it always felt so much hotter after finishing a race than during the actual race.
“I can’t believe she didn’t just walk away at that point. When we were done talking and she was getting ready to leave, I figured that I had to ask her out or regret not having asked her out. So I told her that I was in town for the rest of the week and would love to take her out if she wanted to go out with me. And she said yes.”
At that point, Donald didn’t have a long-distance relationship in mind. He figured they’d go out that once, he’d fly back home and life would go on . . . separately.
“I think we were both surprised at how well we got along,” he says. “We just felt so comfortable right off. I ended up going back on Labor Day to see her. Since then, I’ve flown back every six to eight weeks and things are progressing really well.”
The couple stays in touch with phone calls, rather than e-mails.
“We don’t get to see each other that much,” he says. “I at least want to hear her voice.”
Asked how much longer they can maintain this long-distance relationship, he says: “Eventually one of us will have to move. But for now, the separation isn’t too horrible. It’s not convenient, but it’s something that can be overcome.”
