Love in the time of Covid: how being kept apart during the worldwide pandemic has stengthened the relationship between a Kenilworth man and his American bride to be

Mark Bayliss met Teresa Hutchins from Atlanta in Georgia on Twitter in 2019 and they fell in love when she visited England at Christmas of that year but they were only reunited recently after almost 19 months apart where they kept in touch using a combination of modern technology and the age old tradition of writing letters
Mark Bayliss and his American bride-to-be Teresa Hutchins in England at Christmas in 2019.Mark Bayliss and his American bride-to-be Teresa Hutchins in England at Christmas in 2019.
Mark Bayliss and his American bride-to-be Teresa Hutchins in England at Christmas in 2019.

A Kenilworth man and his American bride-to-be who he met online by chance have shared their heartwarming love story of how they managed to keep their relationship going strong during the many months they were kept apart by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mark Bayliss, 49, who has worked at the KIA car showroom and garage in Warwick for 31 years in the sales and service departments became friends on Twitter with Teresa Hutchins, 42, in July 2019 due to their mutual love of cars.

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They kept in touch and Teresa, an associate professor in political science at Georgia Highlands College in Atlanta, came over to visit Mark for three weeks in December of that year and they spent the Christmas holidays together with days out including visiting Warwick Castle and a tour of the Aston Martin headquarters in Gaydon

Reunited: Mark Bayliss and Teresa Hutchins at Heathrow Airport after she flew in from the USA recently.Reunited: Mark Bayliss and Teresa Hutchins at Heathrow Airport after she flew in from the USA recently.
Reunited: Mark Bayliss and Teresa Hutchins at Heathrow Airport after she flew in from the USA recently.

The couple fell in love and are now engaged to be married next year.

Mark said: "I was just plodding through life and in and out of relationships and I'm getting on a bit now so I was starting to think I might not meet anybody to spend the rest of my life with.

"But now I have a lovely future to look forward to with Teresa.

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"I am going to live over there with her - it's a lovely part of the world where she lives and her family are so nice."

The long-distance relationship was tested when the Covid-19 pandemic caused the UK to be put into lockdown in March 2020.

Due to this Mark has had to cancel trips to see Teresa in the USA and she has had to do the same when planning to come to England but the couple stayed in touch by texting and calling each other regularly and, in what is becoming a more rare form of communication these days, sent hand written letters to each other by airmail on weekly basis.

Mark said: "It was her idea to do this and it's very traditional.

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"I became friends with the postmaster in Warwick, who I would talk to about Teresa when I sent a letter off each week."

Mark and Teresa were reunited recently when she flew in to see him again and, if all goes to plan, he spend Christmas with her in Georgia for his 50th birthday and her parents golden wedding anniversary.

Teresa said: "The last year and a half has been difficult.

"It's hard to remain hopeful and optimistic when there is no timeline for when you will see the one you love again.

"There have been so many disappointments, cancelled flights, rebooked flights, and an endless number of plans made and remade.

"We have persevered, though.

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"Our daily video calls to one another, messages, and written letters back and forth to each other have helped to keep us strong.

"To be reunited after nearly 19 months was the best feeling in the world."

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