Deaf couple first met on Facebook
Born deaf, this couple was first friends on Facebook.
Now, they’re friends for life.
Their first date was at an IT and electronics exhibition.
But although they were keen on the gadgets at the COMEX technology fair, they were more excited about seeing each other.
Said Mrs Pearlin Lee, 38: “I had a lot of butterflies in my stomach. I kept wondering if he would come.”
Mr Gary Lee, 30, was just as nervous.
He said: “I was excited to meet her since the first day I set my eyes on her. I could not wait and turned up early.”
Both are graphic designers and clients of the Singapore Association For The Deaf (SADeaf).
They spoke to The New Paper last month via an e-mail interview.
They have been married since 2015 and have a hearing daughter, Mirae, who is six months old.
Mr and Mrs Lee started out as Facebook friends in 2011, adding each other as they had mutual friends.
That same year, they met for the first time within the deaf community.
They were seated with their friends at two different tables in a food court when they saw each other.
From where she was sitting, Mrs Lee used sign language to tell Mr Lee he looked very familiar.
Then, it hit them.
They gestured, “Ah! Facebook!”, at the same time. That night, they chatted on Facebook again.
Said Mr Lee: “I was attracted to her infectious smile and bubbly personality. I couldn’t stop staring at her when she was leaving that day.”
Mrs Lee added: “I thought he was a wild guy, which was my type.”
But Mrs Lee had some reservations because of their eight-year age gap.
She said: “There were many people who believed we won’t be together for a long time because of our age difference.”
Mr Lee added: “But I persisted and won her heart.”
Being deaf has strengthened their relationship as it allowed them to relate better to each other.
Their previous relationships with hearing partners turned sour quickly because of communication breakdown.
Said Mrs Lee: “After going through thick and thin together, I knew we were the one for each other.”
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