Southwestern Sweethearts - 
Drs. Grace and John English

Drs. Grace and John English met in 1989 during their first year of medical school. The two were involved in many of the same extracurricular activities and formed a fast friendship. A year later they became lab partners and Grace realized she had feelings for John.

“One day, during clinical rotations, a light bulb went off in my head,” said Grace. “John possessed every quality of someone I wanted to marry.”

Though Grace’s mindset towards her partner had shifted, it took John a little while to come around.

“He only envisioned us as friends,” lamented Grace, “of course, I was devastated.”

Shortly after, John learned that Grace would not be going home for the Thanksgiving holiday and invited her to join his family in Longview, Texas. Unbeknownst to Grace, she was the first girl John had ever brought home. The future physician fit right in with John’s parents and siblings, but still, Grace thought they were destined to be purely platonic.

It wasn’t until a ski trip a month later that John would finally make his move. Encouraged by a fellow classmate, he made his intentions with Grace known.

“When our friend saw John put his arm around me he laughed and cheered,” said Grace.

The fourth-year students then began a dating relationship that would result in engagement a little over a year later.

Drs. Grace and John English were married during their first year of residency and are currently celebrating 25 years of togetherness. They have three grown children: Sarah (22), Daniel (20), and Matthew (18). Their family resides in Tyler, Texas where Grace is an internist and John specializes in family medicine. Both cherished their time at UT Southwestern and are grateful that medical school brought them together.