If you are a romantic person, this story is sure to melt your heart. This is the story of Tyrel Wolfe and Joana Marchan. This is a story that took a decade and a half to unfold. If you are not a believer of fate and destiny, this story will surely get you to believe in it. This story began with one Christmas where a generous young boy wanted to do some charity work. No one ever imagined that this act would lead to a decade-long interaction miles apart by two people? Read on to learn about the details of this amazing story...
Christmas is the time of the year when one usually exhibits acts of generosity and kindness. Many people give what they can to the poor and needy during this time. In 2000, Tyrel Wolfe was just 7 years of age when he helped back up shoeboxes with Christmas gifts that consisted of toys, toiletries, and supplies kids in need all the way in the Philippines. The shoebox project that was organized by Operation Christmas Child through Samaritan’s Purse was about to change the course of his whole entire life.
Destiny is something that one cannot control. You never actually know what the universe has in store for you and what your future might hold. Out of 113 million packages that had been sent to 130 countries since initiation of this project in 1993, it was Joana Marchan who got the box from Tyrel Wolfe. She was overjoyed to get a shoebox that was packed with gifts since she came from a poor Filipino family. Little did she know that this box would lead her to something even bigger...
The packers of these shoebox gifts were requested to keep a photo of themselves in the shoebox gift they sent. Tyrel kept a photo of himself in one of the shoebox packages. This was the photo he placed inside the box that would reach a kid in need. He was not aware that this photograph would charm the person receiving it on the other end. When 8-year-old Joana got her shoebox, she kept the picture safely. What was inside the box?
As we all know, Christmas is the time to give. It is when people often give a gift to each other to show appreciation. Some people do this for the folks that are less fortunate. Joana got to receive a shoebox gift packed with a toy, shampoo, toothpaste and school supplies that she was in need of. There was a message in the box that she did not see...
Joana and her family were poor so her parents had no ways of taking their kids shopping. That was one big reason why she was extremely happy to receive the box. And the little was trying to find a way to thank Tyrel Wolfe for the gift that she felt blessed to have received. She then sent a letter of gratitude that never actually reached Tyrel. After 14 years passed, Tyrel did not even accept her friend request on Facebook.
Joana kept the photo of Tyrel that was in the shoebox in a safe place for fourteen years. This photo was extra special to her because it came with the much needed Christmas gift. Even after years passed, her head still wondered where the young boy Tyrell Wolfe could be. Joana later revealed in an interview, questioning whether Tyrel had joined college as she did. After 14 years, even though he did not accept her friend request, Joana was not about to give up.
In 2011 after 2 years since her rejected friend request to Tyrel, Joana decided to try once more. The first time, 21-year-old Tyrel received a request, he did not know who she was so he never accepted. Since the same Filipino girl sent him the request again he got a little curious. He then proceeded toward asking if they knew one another. The response was something fit for a romantic movie.
After Tyrel Wolfe did not accept the friend request in 2009, in 2011 however, there was an online message that sparked his curiosity. This woman claimed to know who Wolfe was. She even told him that she had something to tell the surprised fellow. They were living in separate countries, him in the US and she in the Philippines. So how would she know him? He could not think of a single encounter he had ever had with this person who sent him a message on social media...
Joana was quick to give a reply to Tyrel’s message on Facebook. She told him about the shoebox that she had received 16 years ago that he had sent to her which she absolutely cherished. Tyrel had one problem. He did not remember sending any package all the way to the Philipines at all! But after his mother Denise refreshed his memory about him sending a box when he was seven years old, he only had a realization then. So what happened after?
The two of them soon found out that they shared a lot of common interest. Tyrel and Joana both follow Christian faith and enjoyed Christian music too. They were constantly talking after that point and very quickly a year passed. Till then, it was all messages on Facebook. Tyrel wanted to move things ahead and go offline too. But they were thousands of miles away so there was no way they could go on a date ,right?
After one year of sending messages and communicating over social media, the two realized that they actually had a lot of common hobbies and interests. So Tyrel started contemplating flying all the way to Joana to see if they could perhaps get closer in real life. Since he enjoyed the online messaging, Tyrel soon made the big decision to see if the spark would follow through in person. By May 2013, Tyrel saved enough money to fly all the way to Quezon City in the Philippines, for a 10-day trip to see Joana.
So here he was on his first foreign flight from his country. Tyrel was super anxious as he was not sure what to expect. There was no guarantee that this person he was meeting even existed at all. International flights are long so just imagine how fast his heart must have been pumping throughout the flight! But when he finally got to see her in person, everything was worth it. He worked for his dad as a trail-and-bridge builder at state parks to save money for this trip. So how did he feel?
All this time, he had spoken to Joana virtually, so when Tyrek saw her in flesh, he could not believe his eyes. All this time he thought he was just dreaming her up, so to see her standing in front of him was unbelievable for Tyrel. He fell for her instantly. And even Joana had the same feelings for him. We have all heard of the term 'love at first sight' right? This was felt by both of them. So what was running through her mind when Joana met Tyrel?
When Joana was asked about how she felt, she responded by saying that there was a rush of adrenaline all over her body when she met Tyrel for the first time. The two of them certainly had butterflies in their tummies and were both instantly attracted to one another. The feeling that they both shared must be what books and movies keep on talking about. So how was her family to Tyrel?
Tyrel was already aware of the fact that he was meeting a girl from the Philippines who had a family of poor financial background. He never expected that her home would be a 10-by-19-foot property, with little to no furniture, where her whole family slept on the floor sharing one bedroom. This was certainly a stark contrast to how life was for him back in America. After spending some quality time with Joana's family, he suddenly had a deep realization...
Tyler soon realized how privileged he was and that he had very little to complain about as compared to how Joana's life was. His eyes were opened about how some people struggled to put even just one meal for a day for the family to enjoy. In America, even middle-class families have the luxury of keeping comfortable furniture without making a fuss about it. In the Philippines, Tyrel realized he had taken so many things for granted. This was all thanks to Joana.
Tyrel's time in a foreign land where he got to learn about the luxury he had been blessed enough to have back home in America was coming to an end. His precious time with the woman he had fallen for was ending soon. He was soon about to get back to the States leaving behind Joana. Tyrel was gutted to realize that their time was coming to an end. We can pretty much relate to how Tyrel felt when this happened. He would have to save up and be patient if he wanted to see her again.
Tyrel had to say his goodbyes as his 10-day trip to see Joana was ending. Spending time with Joana and her family was something he would treasure forever. There was no certainty that they would ever get to see each other again so the two of them were a little bummed out. He promised to come and see Joana and her folks again soon. They continued to communicate using Skype. As her tradition goes, Tyrel had to ask permission from Joana’s father in order to officially date her. So what next?
Tyrel then worked in order to go for a second visit to meet Joana in the Philippines. The first trip happened back in May 2013, but by November he would be able to spend a month with Joana. He could hardly wait to see her again. On November 27, Tyrel was now ready to fly thousands of miles to meet the woman he had fallen for. They had spent enough time in order for him to decide if he wanted to marry her. He would need to ask her parents if he was serious about marrying Joana.
Joana’s father, Jun, could see how happy Tyrel and Joana were so he did not have anything against their relationship. Since they were both Christians, he did not see a problem of them being with each other. So Joana's dad gave them his blessing and permission when Tyler asked for her hand in marriage. Her mother, however, was a little skeptical claiming that they were still a bit too young for such a huge commitment. He was determined to prove to Racel that he was worthy of her daughter...
Tyrel had to go back home. But now he had a mission. He had to find a way to somehow convince Joana’s mother that he and Joana were meant to be together, to get married. He soon came up with a plan. He would take his father, Ivan along with him on the next trip he takes to the Philippines. Tyrel’s parents were supportive of the couple and he believed his dad could get Racel to be on board too. In May 2014, Ivan and Tyrel were on their way to meet with Joana's family...
When they got to the Philippines, Ivan was welcomed by Joana’s family with open arms. So very quickly Ivan went ahead with the plan and had a word with Joana's mom to somehow show that their kids belonged together, that they were ready for marriage. The parents also had to discuss where the two would reside. Would Tyrel and Joana live in the Philippines or the US? There was still loads of unfinished business that the couple had to take care of still...
Joana’s mother was very vocal about how much Ivan's visit had an impact on her decision. She was sure to tell him that the Marchan family were greatly influenced by his decision to accompany his son. Racel told Ivan this was God's sign, moving her to believe that Joana and Tyrel were meant to marry each other. She also told him that if he had not come to meet them, she would have intervened and stopped their relationship. Tyrel could finally take a sigh of relief. So what was next? A formal engagement of course...
Taking a long time to decide, Joana and Tyrel finally agreed and decided to live together in the United States. This according to them would be the best option. Tyrel already held a decent job that could take care of their family plus Joana’s family back in the Philippines. It would have been a waste to leave a good paying job to settle in the Philipines. However, the US bureaucracy demanded Joana to get a visa before she could get into their country. So would this be possible?
For Joana to waiting for a while to get her Visa certainly made the eager couple anxious. If she was rejected, it would cause grave trouble to the young couple who had just got engaged. But finally, on August 19, Joana had an interview in Manila, at the United States embassy to see if she could get her visa. She had her documents ready, waiting to see how fate would treat. Her request was finally approved which meant she could join Tyrel in the US! By September 4, the two made their way to Midvale, Idaho to begin a new chapter of their life. But something was missing on their big day...
Joana and Tyrel were not waiting around to plan their wedding. They soon fixed a date for their wedding which would be held on October 5, 2014. This was just a month after Joana’s stepped foot in the United States of America. The ceremony was held on Wolfe ranch, and the guest list had over a hundred folks! Some people from Joana’s family did not get their US visas approved and so could not join in the celebration. They had to join the wedding via Skype. The couple had a surprise for Joana's family on their big day too...
The couple made a decision to hold a second wedding ceremony in the Philippines. Due to the fact that her parents could not join their union, Tyrel and Joana wanted to hold another wedding on their next visit! With that being said, the two were not sure when their next trip to the Philippines would be. The couple was spending a nice time in the US and Joana being new was in awe of everything. Joana saw eight states all due to Tyrel's work that required a lot of traveling. Their second wedding also had another surprise...
The twist that Tyrel and Joana’s wedding had was the fact that they requested all of the guests who were attending it to set up a shoebox gift to commemorate how they ended up being together in the first place. Tyrel revealed that they wanted these underprivileged kids to know that they are worth something, that people cherish them a lot. It may be a trivial act but it can lead to some of the most life-changing events. There was another trip they wished to take...
Even though Tyrel and Joana felt the desperate need to celebrate their wedding with Joana’s family in the Philippines, there was no surety that this would happen soon. In the meantime, Joana was following Tyrel on the trips that his work required. She would always have a scrumptious meal ready for her husband in their RV every evening. The couple traveled to Minnesota, Georgia and even to famous American writer Laura Ingalls Wilder’s home. And then alas it was finally time for the young couple to go back to the Philippines...
Joana and Tyrel’s second wedding anniversary was soon approaching. This was also the time when the two had managed to return to Joana's hometown in the Philippines. And on October 2016, Joana was now a married woman meeting her family for the first time since her wedding! To say that she was overjoyed would be an understatement. Racel was glad to see that her daughter and her new hubby were doing well. Jun, too, was glad to see them again. Joana’s family could soon visit the US too and maybe see snow... The couple's domestic life was also quite unconventional...
Joana got done with her degree at a Culinary Arts and Hospitality course in the Philippines. However, domestic life was something way more complicated than she had ever imagined. She had to take care of the RV while he worked. Even though it was quite hectic to keep everything sorted, she did not complain and accompanied her husband everywhere. Her family was thoroughly pleased to hear about her adjusting well in the US. There was another news that this couple had in store...
After finally being able to go back to Quezon City, Joana and Tyrel had some news to share with Joana’s family. It was not just any ordinary announcement! They were about to have a baby! Both Joana’s and Tyrel’s parents could not wait to meet their bundle of joy who was still in Joana's womb! The due date for the baby to be welcomed would be during springtime. The couple knew this baby would be a blessing and a life changer. But they did not expect this to happen...
So on May 15, 2017, Joana and Tyrel became proud parents to a healthy baby boy. Tyrel had an inkling that their baby would be a son and he was happy to be right about it! The two of them agreed on naming the little boy Harlan Jun. The baby's middle name was taken after Joana’s father because the two would not be together if it had not been for him. She was naturally good at being a mother and took the baby everywhere they went...
Even if Tyrel Wolfe is still a young man, a lot had happened his life. On July 15, 2018, was lucky to be able to celebrate his 25th birthday. Although other his age would go out and party, Tyrel was at home with his beautiful wife and their son, Harlan to celebrate his day of birth. He is indeed lucky and blessed to have been through so much and learned a lot in his life so early on. To think this all started with a shoebox is unbelievable...
As Tyrel and Joana were now starting their own family and were settled, they knew there would be trouble and problems as that is how life goes. Tyrel got a message that Joana’s sister Christine’s was quite ill. She had asked to see Joana and of course, she took the first flight to Manila. And right by his side was Tyrel her dear husband.
Christine Marchan was suffering from partial paralysis and which is deadlier than Kruger syndrome. Tyrel was again proving what kind of a husband and brother-in-law he was. He had spent hours staying by sick Christine's bed-side. He even paid for the medication...
When Christine’s condition worsened, Tyrel and Joana too the quickest flight from the Philippines and too the whole family to their American home. At the airport were parents Ivan and Rochel, Tay’s uncle and close ones waiting patiently for their arrival.
The two plan to have their second wedding ceremony soon where both sides of their families could finally join in. Joana's parents were a priority now. They also made a commitment to pack a shoe-box each holiday season with their story kept inside...
So Tyrel and Joana still live in Midvale, Idaho. Every year, during the holiday season the two would recreate Operation Christmas sending shoebox gifts with a note that had their story written on it. If this is not proof that true love and destiny exists, we do not know what will.