Love in Lansing: Valentine's Day gone awry, the stories

As part of our Love in Lansing series, we called out to members of the Lansing community to hear about your not ideal Valentine's Day experiences ... and did you deliver!

Valentine's Day is supposed to be a day filled with love and romance. But for many, it's a day of bad dates, even worse first impressions and – sometimes – a trip to the emergency room.

While it isn't for everyone, just be grateful your Valentine's Day didn't turn out like these. Take a look at the winning stories of 'Valentine's Day gone awry' below:

Love is a slippery slope – First Place

We had planned to go out of town to a nice restaurant and hotel.

A few days before Valentine’s Day we came home from work and our roof was leaking in the house due to the ice on the roof.

My husband decided to chip the ice away, and as he was climbing up the ladder it slipped out, falling on a big piece of ice. 

He ended up in the hospital with a broken back. So it was the worst Valentine’s Day – we didn't go anywhere or do anything.

VaLinda Stevens
Lansing

Must avoid mono – Second Place

My university apartment mate talked me into going on a date once with a guy who had appeared in a recent talent show half naked – his flabby body covered with various colors of paint and his face painted with red, white and yellow stripes.

Dressed for the mild winter like a bear from Siberia, he took me to a movie. Late, we scrambled over many knees in the dark to center seats, scattering popcorn. He soon fell asleep, puncturing the silence with staccato snoring.

Returning to my apartment, he presented me with a small, red, Valentine's Day box containing five chocolates – and then asked for a kiss. I struggled for a response, but finally managed, "I had mono last week and might give it to you."

Marion Owen-Fekete
Lansing

We don't thank the academy – Third Place

Trever and I met on June 22, 2015. We were set up on a blind date by my best friend since sixth grade, Sarah, and her now husband, Adam, who played on a softball team with him.

On our first date we went to see a movie, which turned out to be one of the worst movies they had both ever seen. Despite the movie, we fell in love and became a modern couple – bought a house, had a baby, got married in 2018.

We have yet to see another movie together because of how awful that first movie was.

Paige Audas
Dewitt

Congrats to the winners, who will receive:

First place – $200 gift card to Sweet Custom Jewelry
Sweet Custom Jewelry specializes in custom made jewelry that reflects each customer individually, made by hand right at their Old Town location.

Second place – $100 gift card to the Lansing Brewing Company
The Lansing Brewing Company, located in the Stadium District in downtown Lansing, features award-winning craft beers and housemade spirits – not to mention an excellent menu.

Third place – pair of tickets to LSO Valentine's Day concert
Formed in 1929, the Lansing Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is widely recognized as one of mid-Michigan’s cultural gems. This Valentine's Day, LSO will bring you songs from Vegas and the Rat Pack.

Contact Alyssa Burr at aburr@lsj.com or (517) 377-1195. Follow her on Twitter at @AlyssaBurr1.