PANJIM: For this couple, Valentine’s Day turned out to be a true celebration of love. Terence Daniel and Cressy Pinto, both speech and hearing impaired, got legally married on Tuesday, and though they could neither hear the sounds of happiness emanating from their near and dear ones, nor could they express their emotions through words, their joy was visible as it was writ large on their faces.
Communicating to Herald, Terence said, “Today is the happiest day of my life and what a day to get legally married on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. I am really excited as I have got the love of my life. Cressy was introduced to me by my close friend here in Goa and thereafter we regularly started chatting on social media and slowly started loving each other and finally we have made it to this day.”
Cressy, smiling widely, endorsed this and communicated, “I am really excited that I have got the love of my life. This is the best day in my life that I have got a lover like Daniel. It’s exactly one year since we first met and from that moment we started liking each other.”
Valentine Day’s bride and the groom met each other through a friend of Terrence, who also has a hearing impairment. This was around a year ago and though Daniel was in Mumbai and Cressy in Goa, daily conversations on social media brought them closer and to the Civil Registrar on Valentine’s Day where they signed up for a life together.
“It is a rare occasion when such a couple gets married on Valentine’s Day. Earlier, three similar couples did get married, but on such an occasion this is a first,” Arjun Shetye, Civil Registrar-cum-Sub Registrar, Tiswadi, told Herald. The religious rite will take place in May in Goa.
The couple also has career plans that are in common. Terence (33) was employed as a fashion designer for a company in Mumbai but lost his job when the firm closed down. He is currently doing a fashion related course in a reputed institute in Mumbai. Cressy (27), who was born in Chinchinim, completed her schooling from St Xavier’s Academy School, Old Goa and is currently into tailoring.
For the couple it was also a task to convince their dear ones of their love for each other and get their blessings for the marriage.
Speaking to Herald, the groom’s father, Manuel Daniel said, “Today I am happy that my son has got the love of his life. I was always confident that he would achieve something and today one such thing has happened.”
To conclude the groom’s words resonate on Valentine’s Day, “Love happens only once the rest is just life.”
