In 1981, their love story began in Mexico. Just four months later, she was confronted with a cancer diagnosis.

Annie MacDonald first spotted Steven Berger while standing in a long queue at a small bank in Zihuatanejo, a picturesque coastal town in Mexico.

It was March 1981, St. Patrick’s Day. Annie, in her mid-20s and from Ottawa, Canada, was wrapping up a three-week journey through Mexico with her friend Ellen.

Annie hadn’t planned to be in Zihuatanejo that day. While Ellen had moved on to Mexico City, Annie was feeling unwell and opted to extend her stay in the tranquil seaside town for a few extra days.

Steven, a single American middle school teacher in his early 30s, was traveling solo from Denver, Colorado, exploring Mexico on his own terms.

Annie laughs as she recalls, "Steven always jokes that I must have been drawn to him because he was exchanging American dollars at the bank – which were worth much more than Canadian dollars at the time."

But Annie insists that wasn’t the case – in fact, it was Steven who started the conversation.

"There was this really attractive girl, about three people ahead of me in line, wearing a dress that looked like it could’ve come from Afghanistan, where I had just been," Steven recalls to Dinogo Travel. "Now, this could be a bit of revisionist history, but I think I said something like, ‘Is that from Afghanistan?’ And the rest, as they say, is history."

"Steven was wearing a navy velour T-shirt," Annie adds. "Not exactly the height of fashion, as he’ll gladly admit."

Annie’s orange caftan wasn’t from Afghanistan, but Steven’s question sparked a conversation between the two about their travels and what had brought them to Zihuatanejo.

"From the moment we met, we just clicked," Annie says, reflecting on their instant connection.

Without even realizing it, the two strangers spent the entire day together – swimming in the crystal-clear waters, lounging on Zihuatanejo’s golden beaches, and enjoying lively conversations between swims.

Annie had only four days left before reuniting with Ellen and returning home. During that time, she and Steven were inseparable, spending their days soaking up the sun and chatting on the beaches, sometimes sneaking into a posh resort in nearby Ixtapa to unwind by the pool.

It was, as Annie describes it, "a whirlwind romance."

She recalls feeling "euphoric," while Steven describes himself as being "ecstatic."

Even though Annie was caught up in the thrill of falling for Steven, she still felt physically unwell.

Between their visits to the beach, Annie and Steven would search for lime Jell-O, hoping it would soothe Annie’s upset stomach.

"Steven and I had plenty of time to talk as we meandered from one small local shop to the next," says Annie.

During these walks, they covered "everything."

"It feels unbelievable now, but we seriously discussed the possibility of him moving to Ottawa or me relocating to Denver," Annie adds.

The four days came to a close, and Annie had to return home. As they said their heartfelt goodbyes, Steven gave her a parting gift – a gold chain he had bought while teaching in Iran. Without hesitation, she placed it around her neck.

A Diagnosis

Back in Canada, Annie shared stories of Steven with her family and friends, recounting their brief yet life-changing encounter.

"Naturally, everyone thought I was out of my mind, convinced that nothing could possibly come of this romance," Annie remembers.

Still struggling with the symptoms that had persisted since her time in Zihuatanejo, Annie decided to see a doctor. She was later admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with non-A, non-B hepatitis.

The treatment plan was simple, but the doctors had additional concerns.

"While I was in the hospital, a lump appeared – or was noticed – on the left side of my neck, which didn’t seem to match the hepatitis diagnosis," Annie recalls.

The medical team wanted to look into the lump further, but Annie wasn’t particularly concerned.

"Honestly, I was blissfully unaware," she says with a smile. "Or perhaps just in a state of denial."

Instead, Annie’s mind was preoccupied with an upcoming business trip to Alberta, Canada.

"I was excited because I had the chance to extend my trip and fly down to Denver to visit Steven, to see if this whirlwind romance had any real potential," says Annie.

"It felt amazing to reconnect," says Steven of their reunion in Denver. "But honestly, it never really felt like we were apart."

Since their parting in Mexico, the couple had kept in touch regularly through phone calls, cards, and letters.

For Annie and Steven, their reunion proved that their connection was more than a fleeting vacation romance. However, Steven remained concerned about the lump on Annie’s neck. While Annie dismissed it as nothing serious, Steven had a sinking feeling that it might not be a good sign.

A month later, on her 27th birthday, Annie received the heartbreaking news: she had stage three non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer.

With Annie bedridden in the hospital, her mother called Steven to break the news.

"We’re in this together," Steven reassured Annie when they were finally able to speak. "We’re crazy in love."

Steven says his mindset has always been – and still is – to live in the moment, no matter the challenges they face.

"I didn’t dwell on what I wished for," he explains. "My approach was simply to accept the situation and move forward."

Nevertheless, Annie’s diagnosis was deeply upsetting. After receiving the call from Annie’s mother, Steven took a solo drive and allowed himself to cry.

Annie was granted a leave of absence from work for the rest of the summer to focus on her chemotherapy treatments, which occurred every three weeks, along with dealing with the side effects.

Steven made his way to Ottawa as soon as he could, arriving on July 4. Over a long weekend, he met Annie’s family and friends for the first time.

It was a trip that felt both surreal and meaningful. Annie organized several dinner parties, thinking to herself, "If he’s coming, I’m introducing him to everyone."

"All four of her brothers gave me their seal of approval," Steven recalls.

"That also happened to be when my hair started falling out in chunks from the chemotherapy I was undergoing, but Steven took it in stride and didn’t seem bothered by the wig I had to wear all the time," says Annie.

Annie quickly realized that she and Steven had grown serious at an unusually fast pace. Perhaps, she thought, this wasn’t the typical romantic trajectory.

But Annie felt that her life had already shifted from "normal." Her friends and family were overjoyed by how happy Steven made her and deeply grateful for his constant support.

"Honestly, all they cared about was whether I would survive the cancer and be okay," says Annie. "For my friends, my family, and for me, that meant having Steven by my side. He was an essential part of my healing process."

Facing illness and the challenge of long-distance love

A month later, in August 1982, Annie made the trip to Denver, squeezing it in between her chemotherapy treatments.

"But on the day I was supposed to fly back to Canada, American air traffic controllers went on strike, leaving me stranded," she remembers.

Thankfully, Annie was able to arrange an emergency chemotherapy session at a hospital in Denver.

Steven, who had supported Annie from a distance during her previous treatment cycles, was now up close, witnessing the harsh realities of chemotherapy.

"If anyone – including my parents, family, and friends – had any doubt about what a prince Steven was, his presence by my side for the next 36 hours, as I dealt with the brutal side effects of the chemo, proved it to all of us," says Annie.

Afterward, Annie and Steven embarked on a road trip to Ottawa, camping in tents along the way.

Annie and Steven both say it was simply "obvious" that they would marry. There was no grand proposal, and Annie chose her own ring.

While Annie’s loved ones fully supported her engagement to Steven, his family had reservations.

"Not only did I have cancer, but I was also Catholic and Canadian – not exactly a winning combination for his Jewish family," says Annie.

Steven says his parents were primarily worried about their son’s future.

"They saw it as – you’re marrying someone who could die within the next six months," he says.

Over time, Steven’s family warmed to Annie. As they got to know her better, they recognized just how much she meant to their son.

"I developed a warm and loving relationship with them," says Annie. "I truly give them credit for that because I know it wasn’t easy for them – it was a challenging situation all around."

Annie’s last chemotherapy treatment took place in December 1981. A couple of months later, in February 1982 – less than a year after meeting in Mexico – Annie and Steven tied the knot in an intimate ceremony with their loved ones. Annie adopted Steven’s last name, becoming Annie Berger.

Annie’s friend Lezlie found her a beautiful long silk headband, which, paired with her wig, made Annie feel truly fabulous.

"It was perfect," she says.

"She looked stunning," agrees Steven.

The couple spent their honeymoon in Zihuatanejo, returning there in March 1982, nearly a year to the day since they first crossed paths in the bank line.

Settling Down

After the wedding, Annie moved to Denver to be with Steven, and together they began to build their life in Colorado.

Annie was able to return to work now that she had completed her treatment, but she hadn’t yet received the all-clear, and it would be a while before that happened.

"Because my type of cancer and its severity were so serious at the time, I was told I would only be given the all-clear after reaching the three-year milestone," Annie explains. "If I had a relapse during that period, it would most likely be fatal."

Though this harsh reality lingered in the background, Annie and Steven focused on making the most of the present moment.

"That fear was always there," says Annie. "But we’re both naturally optimistic and upbeat, so it didn’t dominate our thinking or daily lives."

"The biggest question for us was, could we have children?" says Steven.

The uncertainty surrounding their ability to have children was resolved in 1984 when Annie discovered she was pregnant.

In 1985, Annie and Steven celebrated the birth of their daughter, Nina.

To this day, they refer to Nina as their "miracle baby." The couple later welcomed three more children: Natalie, Alexander, and Zachary.

Steven and Annie instilled a love of travel and adventure in all four of their children.

Though the Berger family couldn’t afford overseas travel when the kids were younger, they made the most of camping trips and road adventures across the United States. Annie and Steven cherish those memories.

“Each summer, we’d load up the kids – first one, then two, then three, and eventually four,” Steven remembers.

As the years passed, the children grew, and Annie’s cancer remained in remission.

“There have been a few scares along the way,” Annie admits. “But fortunately, no cancer has returned. We’ve been incredibly lucky.”

Rekindling their passion for travel

By 2013, Annie and Steven had retired, and their children had all left home to begin their own journeys.

After years of mainly vacationing within North America, the couple decided it was time to explore the far-off destinations they had always dreamed of visiting.

They began their travels with an unforgettable two-month journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway, passing through Russia, Mongolia, and China, before heading to Thailand and Cambodia.

Since then, Annie and Steven have explored 95 countries and counting. These days, they spend much of the year traveling, and when at home in the U.S., they dedicate time to various volunteer projects.

This year, as they celebrated 40 years of marriage, Annie and Steven found themselves reflecting on the serendipitous encounter that brought them together in Zihuatanejo.

Steven describes meeting Annie as “a miracle” and the “most incredible thing” that’s ever happened to him.

He believes the secret to a lasting, joyful marriage is “not just loving your partner but truly liking them, and spending quality time together.”

Annie describes meeting Steven as “the stuff of dreams.”

“Our story sounds unbelievable, like something straight out of a Hallmark movie,” Annie reflects, mentioning she still keeps the gold chain Steven gave her in Zihuatanejo.

“I’ve worn that chain day and night for the past 41 years,” she adds.

Annie and Steven believe that facing her health challenges during their first year together set the stage for how they’ve approached life’s challenges ever since.

“One of the strengths of our relationship is our ability to adapt,” says Annie. “We did it then, and we still do it today, 40-plus years later. Life throws curveballs, but you find a way to deal with them and move forward.”

The couple has lived by the same motto for years: “Take the leap.”

“Life’s too fleeting not to,” Annie adds.