Submitted by Providence St. Peter’s Foundation
Olympia resident Diane Coulter has a love story to tell, and it begins with meeting her future husband on a blind date. As Diane says, “From the moment I met Brent, I loved his sense of humor, and we matched on every level. Brent and I were pure magic.”
While they were dating, Brent had experienced cardiac conditions, including a five-way bypass surgery. But life went on, and Brent and Diane began planning their wedding, which would take place in Portland, Oregon, where the two had met.
Just two days before their wedding in Portland, as they were leaving town, Brent casually mentioned to Diane that he thought they should stop at St. Peter’s Hospital. Diane says, “Before I could blink an eye, doctors found that the bypass surgery had closed. Brent was immediately admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.” Brent and Diane were forced to cancel their wedding.
Instead of getting married that weekend, Brent and Diane were married just days after he was released from the hospital, on their front porch overlooking Budd Bay. It was a simple wedding with six attendees, conducted by a chaplain they met at St. Peter Hospital.
To show their gratitude for the incredible and nurturing care they received over a lifetime, Brent and Diane started purchasing bricks in Providence Way and dedicating them to each other. Diane fondly recalls, “To me, Providence Way seems like our love letter to each other – one written in stone forever.”
Brent passed away in 2011, but Diane continues to write notes to him in Providence Way. She says, “It’s just my way of talking to him.” Bricks and pavers are available on the Providence St. Peter campus, which make the perfect opportunity to create a lasting tribute for your loved ones. Bricks and pavers purchased before July 15 will be installed this summer, in time for a dedication ceremony in September. For more information, or to purchase a brick, visit http://washington.providence.org/donate/st-peter-foundation/Purchase-a-brick/.
