Michigan couple marries after nurse threw rock at truck driver in rehab

Al Sager and Susan Guc tied the knot this week in Bay City, Michigan.

The 65-year-old truck driver and the 76-year-old nurse had both lived alone for their entire adult lives. Sager spent his career on the road, while Guc devoted her time to caring for patients. Both described themselves as happily unattached until their paths crossed.

The connection started a few years ago when they were both enrolled in a cardiac rehabilitation program following heart procedures. Guc was walking on a treadmill and noticed Sager riding an exercise bike. She was drawn to his smile, but he did not notice her presence.

To get his attention, Guc handed him a rock with the word smile etched into it. Sager initially thought she was suggesting he needed to smile more. He decided to investigate further. He described the encounter as a fluke that changed his outlook.

"You see relationships sour and it's like, 'Nah, I don't want that,'" Sager said. He added that he was alone but not lonely. Guc felt similarly. "If there would be anybody out there, who would I really want?" she asked. She was content staying single.

Family members were surprised by the wedding. One relative said the news was shocking. Another said they nearly fell out of their chair because they did not expect the couple to marry. The relatives had not anticipated the development after so many years of independence.

Guc and Sager are now sharing a life together. Guc noted that she had assumed it was too late to find a partner. Sager agreed it is never too late. The couple plans to continue their new chapter in Bay City.