LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It’s Valentine’s Day and WHAS11 News is digging into the Vault to look back at some of Louisville’s greatest love stories.
As thousands settled in for their Valentine’s date night at the Louisville Gardens in 1983, it wasn’t the most intimate of settings but certainly the most exciting.
The Roller Derby was back in the “Derby City” for the first time in a long time.
“How does Louisville love the Roller Derby? Let me count the ways,” the reporter asked.
Fast-forward a few years and well-known Weekend Gardner Fred Wiche is passing along flower advice.
“If you’re looking for an alternative to the high-priced rose but still want something red – how about an azalea?”, he said.
His suggestion – buying a flower your valentine can plant in the spring and enjoy all summer.
A series of weddings have taken place inside the Whitehall Mansion with one happening every hour starting at breakfast and going through dinner.
Ten couples marked their anniversary on Feb. 14, 2000 – a date that would be hard to forget.
One of the favorite love stories found in the WHAS11 Vault was the fairytale inside the Ford factory.
"It all started at believe it or not the marriage fixture – yes that's the name of this work station that marries metal parts – bolting, welding and molding together metal frames for ford explorers," former WHAS11 reporter Barry Bernsen explained.
Heidi was on the line when everything went wrong.
"I happened to hit the wrong button," she said.
It stopped the entire assembly line. Heidi worried she would surely lose her job, but then came Rod the maintenance man.
"He told me that everyone was teasing. No one had been fired for that before – and [he] talked me into going out with him," she said.
That first date lead to more and eventually a wedding. The two blended their families and adopting more children, but never forgetting where their love first started.
"This is the very emergency stop button that Heidi hit when she worked on that assembly line 6 years ago," Rod explained.
The button was salvaged by Rod when the plant underwent renovations and mounted over the mantle, proving love can grow from the most unusual of places.
"I love you."
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