Faith and a Fastball: Findlay Faithfuls Christopher ’20 and Megan (Fisher) Demler

Like most traditional love stories, Chris and Megan Demler’s story started off with “boy meets girl.” However, their story becomes less traditional with “girl pitches ball to boy, boy misses ball, and ball hits boy in face.” Nonetheless, their love story continues.

Both freshmen in 2017, Chris recalled the first time he met Megan, as she was accompanying a friend who was interested in a guy who lived down the hall from his dorm room in Bare Hall. Chris said he and his friends were pitching and catching a ball down the hall when Megan joined in. “Megan asked if she could pitch it to me, but I was completely unaware that she was a pitcher for the UF softball team when I said yes,” said Chris. “I called for a fastball, and she whipped it down the hall, straight through my hands, and hit me right in the face.”

Embarrassed and bleeding, Chris and Megan’s relationship took off. The two recall Megan checking up on Chris during his recovery, poking fun at him along the way. By the second semester, they were officially a couple. Chris studied business administration and management, and Megan focused on getting her doctorate in physical therapy. The two leaned on each other for support during study sessions in the business building and cheered each other on during athletic events. Chris and Megan also leaned on their faith while at UF, frequently attending the weekly on-campus student-led worship service, “Revive” together. “We truly believe that God brought us to Findlay to meet each other and all the wonderful people who came along with us on our journey so far,” said Chris.

Things progressed quickly. Chris popped the question on campus in December 2019.  Megan said yes. Chris graduated in 2020, and the two got married in June of 2021. Chris now works for National Flight Services, managing a fixed base operation at the Toledo Express Airport. Megan is set to complete the DPT program this spring, after which she will begin working with a travel PT agency. The two call themselves animal parents to a cat named Mister and are currently searching for a dog to add to their home.

When asked about the title of “Findlay Faithfuls,” the two said they believe it is the perfect representation of their relationship. “Our time at Findlay was one of the most defining times of our lives. Meeting one another and all of our lifelong friends really gave us such a special college experience. It not only gave us that perfect college experience, but also each other and so many others to share the rest of our lives with,” they said.

As part of a series alongside Valentine’s Day, we’re featuring stories about UF couples, past and present, called “Findlay Faithfuls.” If you’re interested in sharing your story, we encourage you to share a picture using #FindlayFaithfuls and tag @oileralumni on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We’d love to hear from you and re-share!