Kim & Krickitt Carpenter — The Real Couple That Inspired ‘The Vow’

In 1993, Kim and Krickitt got in their car to go visit family for their first Thanksgiving together as a married couple. Hours later, the two woke in a hospital and their lives were changed forever.

The Vow isn’t just another cheesy Hollywood love story about something that would never really happen– it was actually based on the real life couple, Kim and Krickitt Carpenter, who endured the same terrible tragedy that Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) did in the movie.

Kim and Krickitt were in a two-truck collision leading Krickitt to go in a coma for weeks after the accident. When she finally woke up she had amnesia and couldn’t remember the past 18 months of her life all of which included Kim.

Kim said in an interview with a local news station (video below) that when Krickitt finally woke up from the accident the doctors would ask “who’s your husband” and she responded saying “I’m not married.” So sad!

Krickitt, understandably, would get frustrated with Kim and tell him to “go back where you’re from.” But Krickitt says that she made a promise (a VOW) and it was her faith that kept her and Kim together.

The couple wrote a book in 1996, The Vow: The Kim and Krickitt Carpenter Story, which is set to be re-released now that the movie is in theaters.

Now whether or not the real story was full of ex-fiances, divorce, and crazy parent-love affairs we don’t know, but it was based on this couple who had to start from the beginning, getting the know each other all over again after already being married.

Kim and Krickitt are now a happily married couple living in New Mexico and have two kids. They really are an inspiring love story! Watch an interview of them sharing their story in the video below.

Happy Valentine’s Day, HollywoodLifers!

— Nicole Karlis