Our Wedding

-"Born in Ilesha, Nigeria,  as a child he was nicknamed "chatterbox" and over his nomadic years he quieted down a little.  At age seven, with his family he moved to Montreal, where he would spend the next 6-7 years.  Following a short stint in Huntsville, Alabama where he started highschool, his family moved once again to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  In 1997, Deepan graduated from Evan Hardy Collegiate.  That same year his family would move yet once again to Mississauga, Ontario.  However, Deepan returned to his old childhood stomping grounds in Montreal to start his undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Immunology with a minor in economics at McGill. 

In the summer of 2001, Deepan started his first year of medical school. His move to Chicago was not one that he initially liked, but the city and the amazing relationships he fostered quickly cemented a love for the city that would parallel few others.  After completing his internship at Northwestern, Deepan moved on to Rochester, MN, home to the Mayo Clinic where he would spend his next 3 years but more importantly meet the girl of his dreams. "

-"Born in Kaunas, Lithuania, Ausra spent her childhood under the Soviet rule, watching Indian movies… As a child, she did not talk much, and her favourite word was “no”, according to her mom. That, apparently, changed many years later, because she said “yes” to Deepan.

She moved to the United States to attend University of Minnesota, where she would spend the next 12 years, getting her undergraduate degree, medical degree, as well as completing her residency in Ophthalmology. There she met the Deepan, who swept her off her feet. 

Her studies took her to Miami, where she is currently finishing her fellowship in medical retina-an extra year of training, to become a super specialist in the back part of the eye. Miami beaches and sunshine did not make her forget Deepan. On the contrary, she missed him even more."

The following stories were inspired by actual historical events...

-"We both met for the first time in 2004, while both interviewing at the University of Minnesota.  However, at the time she had no idea how cool a guy she had just forgotten.  A few years later, she tried to reconnect with me by sending me an email but then it was my turn to forget... to reply her to her email that is(oops)...

Our busy worlds reconnected when we took care of America's greatest vets, one eye at a time at the Minneapolis VA Hospital.  We worked a couple of doors apart and all day long she kept witnessing the excellent care I was providing-- because our rooms had no doors, heck it was missing a fourth wall... welcome to the VA.  The constant realization of my amazing patient care combined with my dashing looks proved too much for her to resist.  I may have mentioned getting together, but then on Columbus Day - Sunday no less- she asked me out.  I could tell she had been working up the courage for months(perhaps a lifetime), so I could not let such a beautiful girl down and hence I graced her with my presence for a dinner date with her closest medical school friends.  After a moderately successful attempt at clubbing on a Sunday in Minneapolis in October, we found ourselves at one of her best friend's house.  I could not get her away from me all evening.  The night ended with me asking her out to lunch and dinner the following day.  As the morning dawned, I knew I was about to make all her dreams come true..."

-"The Story began many years ago, according to Deepan. He has a better memory, since I do not recall meeting him at the interview for residency, much less exactly where he was sitting in relation to me. I’ll take his word for it.

What I do remember, a few years later, is the first time I send him an email, relating to residency, which he managed not to answer for many weeks. It worked well, I must say, since he caught my attention (not in the best way initially). However, that changed soon after we met...

When he came to the Minneapolis VA, I was quite impressed with his enthusiasm. He asked me to go out every day, until finally, out of pity for a lonely out-of-towner, I invited him to join my friends and I for dinner and dancing.  He enthusiastically agreed.

What followed was a night of him talking for hours until dawn, then inviting me to lunch AND dinner the following day. Afterwards came endless texting, starting the moment I woke up, continuing throughout the day, even though we worked next door to each other. He asked me go out every day, and sometimes I agreed… He also drove me to and from the airport, as I was interviewing, meeting me with flowers and gifts. He organized my trips, with maps and pictures of buildings for my interviews printed out. He called his friends all over the country for me.

He sang karaoke to me

He took care of me when I was ill  (after a party, oops...)

We had so much fun together!

And all of this continues…(more or less)

Oh, and did I mention, that he is the greatest man on earth and the love of my life…"