Four Decades After Forced Apart Due To Race, High School Sweethearts Get Second Chance At Love

True love always manages to find a way. When two people are in love, no matter what the circumstances, they will do everything in their ability to stay together, even if it takes years.

Penny Umbers and Mark Bethel both thought they were meant to be together the moment they met. He was from Nassau, Bahamas, but was studying at Nottingham. She was from England, and he was from Nassau, Bahamas. At the time, she was 16 and he was 17. They were friends throughout high school and college. They went to different institutions that were close to each other so that they could keep seeing each other.

Penny was heartbroken when he decided to return to his nation and leave her behind because their love was pure and strong.

Penny never forgot her first and genuine love, even though years had gone. She was married twice, and both times she was divorced. Mark had a second marriage, but it ended in divorce as well.

He contacted her via social media 39 years later, and she discovered the devastating reason for his decision to abandon her when they were young.

Penny’s father was against their relationship, according to Mark, because his daughter is white and Mark is black. Penny’s father met Mark at secondary school and told him, “You’ve had your fun, now move on, boy.”

When her father learned that Mark was not planning on divorcing Penny, he went to Mark’s college and threatened to cut ties in order to have his scholarship revoked.

“I didn’t have much power.” I was 3,000 kilometers away from home in a new country. My scholarship provided me with my sole source of income.” Mark clarified. Unfortunately, Mark was still a child and didn’t feel he had a choice.

The COVID-19 epidemic, which struck just as the two agreed to reunite, prohibited them from seeing each other again. Penny was able to travel to Nassau after a year and a half of waiting. They picked up where they left off nearly four decades ago when they saw each other. Most importantly, they are now preparing for their wedding.

Penny was devastated to learn that her father had damaged her relationship, but she is unable to face him due to his Alzheimer’s disease.

“39 Years in the Wilderness,” a book about Penny and Mark’s life, was published.

“We’ve had 39 years of wasted time, but we’re looking forward to a genuinely fantastic future,” Mark remarked.

Source: tiphero.com