Regina Hunt — Regina and Hank

I met Hank on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend. Neither of us wanted to go, but neither of us wanted to insult her by declining. It turned out to be the best decision we ever made.

When Hank first called to ask me out, I already had a formal work engagement. I didn’t have a date and asked him if he owned black tie attire. He said, “No, but I can get it.” That impressed me, especially since every man I worked with had said “no way” when I told them it was black tie. We went together, knew no one there, and had a wonderful time.

We began dating casually. I traveled frequently for business, and while I was away, I realized how much I missed him and how eager I was to return home to see him. From there, our relationship simply grew.

I loved his physical presence—his closeness, his voice, his laugh, his conversation, his wisdom, his humor—everything. We were a team: two individuals who loved each other deeply and became soulmates over the years. We were very different in temperament, yet perfectly matched. When we married, we agreed that when we faced difficulties, one of us would stay positive while the other felt negative—not artificially, but by balancing each other so we wouldn’t both fall into what we called “disaster mode.” It worked.

Now I live with our memories to sustain me. I hear his voice in my head at times when I really need it. I live in gratitude for our time together, and that gratitude has helped me through the grief of losing him and the changes in my life after more than 30 years together. I am still adjusting, but what I learned from Hank and from our life together continues to shape me as I live in this new world without him.