Wisconsin bride, longtime pen pal meet for 1st time at wedding
BROOKFIELD, Wis. - Judy Mihelich is starting a new chapter of life with her husband, Mike. She tied the knot alongside someone she's known her whole life – but had never met in person.
"We communicated our major stepping stones: children, birth, marriages," Mihelich said. "I call her my soul sister."
Mihelich's friend Carol Canny is from Australia. The two became pen pals when Mihelich was in fourth grade. For more than half a century, the two have been writing to one another.
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"A total of 50 (years) that we had known each other and had never met," said Mihelich.
That is, until this week.
Carol Canny (L) flies from Australia to Wisconsin to be longtime pen pal Judy Mihelichs (R) matron of honor.
"We finally got to see each other face to face," Mihelich said. "I cried. It was very emotional."
Canny flew in from Australia, thousands of miles away, to be Mihelich's matron of honor on Saturday.
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"It's obvious that life takes leaps and bounds, and I had been through a few," Mihelich said.
Mihelich's late husband passed away in 2018. She said Canny supported her through it all, so it was only fitting that she'd be there to support her on her big day.
Wisconsin tornado warning forces wedding to join family reunion
Severe storms did not stop one couple from sharing a special first dance while taking shelter in Lake Geneva on their wedding day.
"I am very blessed to be Judy's matron of honor," Canny said.
It's a friendship that shows love has no bounds or distance.