Yolanda

In celebration of Valentine's Day, we find different love stories - there are stories of success and failure. The good thing is, everyone can teach and inspire the story of true love.

You have never heard of a bridal party just days after Yolanda's super typhoon. (Open the entire story tomorrow).

Another example of true love in the face of disaster is still dominant.

This is about a 31-year-old Canadian engineer from Montreal, Canada who traveled to the Philippines just to find and make sure Filipino girlfriend is the victim of “Yolanda”.

Houssam Hammoudi traveled 8,000 miles just to find his girlfriend, Mary Grace Acojedo.

He later found the girlfriend but was in a bad condition at a clinic in Ormoc and was taken to Cebu for treatment and medical attention.

They are now married.

A few days after meeting Mary Grace and getting better, she was quickly offered a Canadian bride's wedding.

Isn't that wonderful love story?

“He is my angel. Without him, I couldn't imagine what would happen to me in Ormoc, ”said 22-year-old Acojedo.

Prior to the engagement and the wedding, the two had regular communication. This is via Facebook and Skype.

Even Yolanda had been the subject of their story just days before the super typhoon.

"She's been telling me how she's preparing for the coming of the typhoon," Houssam said in a recent interview with Cebu Daily News, Bandera's sister publication.

Signal No. 4 the strength of the storm hit Ormoc.

On the day that Yolanda made landfall in Eastern Visayas, Mary Grace could no longer go online and the relationship with her boyfriend was broken.

When it became apparent that Yolanda's impact on the Visayas had been weakened, after power supply had been restored in some areas, causing journalists to post pictures and be seen around the world, Houssam could no longer be considered. Until he saw the magic that Ormoc enjoyed where the girlfriend was.

"I know there was something bad that happened and it is a matter of life and death here," he said.

When Houssam's friends learned that his girlfriend was from the worst region hit by "Yolanda" and discovered he had sold the car for $ 800 to fund his sudden return to the Philippines, they rushed around to collect money.

“I was really planning to come here in May. I've already booked my flight, ”he said.

On Wednesday, November 13, or about a week after Yolanda's flight, Houssam flew to the Philippines.

Houssam arrived the next day where he met the girlfriend's brother.

Nathaniel works as a call center agent in Cebu. They tried to take the ferry to Ormoc but they were unable to get on.

“There were so many people wanting to go to Ormoc. It was difficult to get a seat, ”he said.

Finally, they boarded the fastcraft and they arrived at Ormoc fully 2 p.m.

Houssam and Nathaniel rushed to the Acojedo home but only had broken parts. They found Mary Grace aa a clinic where she was cared for by neighbors.

For the first time, the couple met in person and hugged each other.

Mary Grace's jaw, fist, and leg were fractured and she also had deep wounds to her face and body.

He had to undergo surgery so that he would not be severely amputated.

“I didn't expect him to look for me. I told my mother to tell her not to come over and just tell her that I was fine, ”said Mary Grace.

Houssam paid the clinic expenses immediately. They were taken out of the clinic and walked 500 meters before they saw a tricycle that had taken them to the pier.

"I was so embarassed because I was heavy and he carried me all the way up to the boat," added Mary Grace.

Upon arriving in Cebu, Houssam took Mary Grace to a private hospital where she underwent surgery.

Hammoudi spent nearly half a million pesos on Mary Grace's series of operations.

She launched a blog “Operation Saving Grace” in which she told how she got to Ground Zero and appealed for a donation.

Two days after she launched the blog, she raised half a million for Mary Grace's treatment.

About 700 people from all over the world have provided assistance for “Saving Grace.” —Cebu Daily News, translated by Filipino by Bella Cariaso