For most of the people, the teen crush memories only last for a while. Grace Lesinski, who lives at the senior management complex of the New Berlin, Wisconsin, saw the name of her teenage crush in the list of residents of the senior living facility.
After looking at the name, she thought it can’t be him, how many Ralph Wisniewskis are there, it can’t be true. So she decided to see Ralph Wisniewski as she knocked at his door. A man much older than her came out and he gazed at gray-haired Lesinski. Then she asked was he Ralph, who graduated from St. Mary Magdalen. He replied, “Yes he was,” and then she introduced herself as Grace. He was the same Ralph with whom she fell in love back in her Milwaukee Catholic school days.
Ralph was used to living across the house of Grace back in his school days. Grace had her first date with Ralph. Grace also described her first date in her book in which she wrote about the time she spent with Ralph. And then she handed over the book to her younger daughter JoAnn Ley.
In that book, Grace labeled her first date as ‘awkward’ but said that it got better. After graduating from the school, the couple went to different high schools and their love story faded away. After that both of them got married – Ralph to Elizabeth for 54 years and Grace to John for 50 years. Both of them also had children and grandchildren and were widowed recently.
After 71 years from their childhood romance, both of them reunite. Now after 71 years, they have plenty of time to label what they experienced in their lives. Ralph said that it is difficult to explain when he sat down with his childhood crush. Grace said that they met once in a while and visit back and forth. She said that Ralph visited her on Monday and then they had a dinner. While telling their story, both of them were seen as playful as both of them sat on Ralph’s couch. At that time, JoAnn was there and she said that her mom looks happier these days. While talking about Grace, Ralph said that he liked her giggles.
It was not difficult for the couple to recall the old days as both of them left each other at St. Mary Magdalen in 1947. Grace whose last name was Nowakowski at that time said that Ralph was used to giving her a ride on his bike. The 85-year-old said that he remembered going through the alleys and their visit to ice skating rink.
The interview was then joined by Ralph’s youngest daughter Chris Vedbraaten. Grace while looking at Vedbraaten said that she still admits Ralph as her first boyfriend. In response, Vedbraaten’s father said that it is true that he had a crush on Grace regardless of the fact that she used to help him in school work.
Grace still has the book Ralph once signed for her back in 1945. In that book, Ralph wrote that he prayed to God that she had a hubby who looks like chubby. And in the end, there was the signature of Ralph and then he ended with the remarks, “Best in the World.”
After that, she claimed that Ralph was involved too much in his new high school and hobbies that he did not bother asking her to continue their love story. Then in 1955, when Grace was in senior high school, she met John and then they got married. After marriage, the couple had four daughters, JoAnn, Barbara, Carolyn, and Doreen. John and Grace started living in New Berlin and then in 2013 moved to Regency where John died in 2016.
As far as Ralph was concerned, after spending few years in Air Force, he met Elizabeth in a bar where he asked her for a dance. Then the couple got married in 1958 and then had five children, Chris, Mark, Jeanne, John, and Kathy. The couple spent most of the time in Muskego and then Elizabeth died in 2012. Ralph and Grace who are still wearing their wedding rings are now back together again and they have plenty of time to discuss the matters they once used to discuss.