A Minnesota couple who met on a dating app learned they were born on the same day at the same hospital – and even went to kindergarten together – got married 35 years later.
Joshua and Elizabeth Colbert matched on the dating app Hinge in April 2023 and started asking questions to get to know each other, the couple told CBS News.
Elizabeth had asked Joshua where he grew up and went to school, and when she realized they attended they same kindergarten, she dug out her old class picture and found Joshua in it.
Then they learned they were both born on September 13, 1988. in the same hospital – Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, Minnesota – just six hours apart.
However, after kindergarten they each went their own way and didn’t speak again until matching on the app.
‘This whole divine intervention, as we call it, has just really reaffirmed to me to continue to try and spread our story of hope and second chances,’ Elizabeth said.
Joshua and Elizabeth Colbert matched on the dating app Hinge in April 2023 and learned they share a birthday and went to kindergarten together
Elizabeth had asked Joshua where he grew up and went to school, and when she realized they attended they same kindergarten, she dug out her old class picture and found Joshua was in it
‘She asked where I had grown up and I said I grew up in Andover and went to Northside Christian School,’ said Joshua.
‘And she’s like, “No kidding, I went there too in kindergarten.” And then we put it together we graduated [1995] so we’re like, “Maybe we were in the same kindergarten class.’”
Elizabeth’s mother dug up old home videos and found that she had zoomed in on Joshua during their kindergarten graduation.
‘We did actually find our old kindergarten graduation video, so we’re both in there,’ Elizabeth said.
Joshua said, ‘And the crazy part is, her mom zoomed in on me in the video and then panned out and zoomed back on Elizabeth. So it was like, we saw that and were like, no way. A mother’s intuition, I guess.’
The two said they don’t remember each other from their school days and lived separate lives until they matched. Elizabeth has two children, 8-year-old Chloe and 6-year-old Knox, and Joshua is an Iraq war veteran.
The couple said they were both in dark places after going through their respective divorces and they believe it was God that brought them together as adults.
‘We believe it was God. In spite of the fact we could have had all these similarities but been complete polar opposites. And that’s not the case at all. So, I feel like it was just the perfect match. And yeah, I think it was divine for sure,’ said Joshua.
After one month of dating, Joshua asked Elizabeth to marry him.
‘I’m old school, so I had asked her dad for her hand in marriage. Her family’s very tight-knit. We meet for dinner every other weekend after church,’ Joshua said.
Five months after they reunited on Hinge, the couple wed at Pinewood Weddings & Events in Cambridge, Minnesota, on September 13, 2023 – both of their 35th birthdays.
Joshua and Elizabeth were both born on September 13, 1988, in the same hospital – Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, Minnesota – just six hours apart
At their wedding in September, their kindergarten teacher (center) was in attendance
‘We were in the same room the day that we were born and it’s just fitting that now, 35 years later, we’re getting married on our birthdays. So, I think that’s just pretty special,’ Joshua told Fox 9.
‘You couldn’t make it up if you wanted to. I tell people our Hallmark movie comes out this fall.’
At the wedding, Elizabeth’s father, Alan Goracke, officiate the ceremony, her son Knox walked her down the aisle and they had a special guest appearance, reported USA Today.
‘Our kindergarten teacher, we actually were able to hunt her down and we mailed her an invite and she showed up,’ Elizabeth said.
‘And not only did she show up, she found a photo of us on track and field day together.’
