<strong>Christmas meeting:</strong> Catalina Bernal Andrade and Mauricio García Marulanda were strangers who ended up on the same flight on Christmas Day 2009. Thirteen years later, Catalina and Mauricio are married with a young daughter.
Christmas meeting: Catalina Bernal Andrade and Mauricio García Marulanda were strangers who ended up on the same flight on Christmas Day 2009. Thirteen years later, Catalina and Mauricio are married with a young daughter.
Graphic by Alberto Mier, CNN. Photos courtesy Mauricio García Marulanda and Catalina Bernal Andrade
<strong>Deep connection:</strong> Mauricio and Catalina met on a JetBlue flight traveling from Bogotá, Colombia, where they're both from, to Orlando, Florida.
Deep connection: Mauricio and Catalina met on a JetBlue flight traveling from Bogotá, Colombia, where they're both from, to Orlando, Florida.
Reed Saxon/AP
<strong>Deep connection:</strong> The couple got chatting during the flight. "We started talking about very profound things," says Mauricio. Back in Bogotá, they grew even closer. Here's the couple pictured on vacation in Spain.
Deep connection: The couple got chatting during the flight. "We started talking about very profound things," says Mauricio. Back in Bogotá, they grew even closer. Here's the couple pictured on vacation in Spain.
Mauricio García Marulanda and Catalina Bernal Andrade
<strong>Open communication:</strong> Mauricio and Catalina, pictured here on vacation in New York, think meeting on an airplane was key. "When you travel, your mind is more open than when you're in your comfortable place," says Mauricio. "I think that also helped us to be so transparent and open to each other."
Open communication: Mauricio and Catalina, pictured here on vacation in New York, think meeting on an airplane was key. "When you travel, your mind is more open than when you're in your comfortable place," says Mauricio. "I think that also helped us to be so transparent and open to each other."
Mauricio García Marulanda and Catalina Bernal Andrade
<strong>Wedding day:</strong> Mauricio and Catalina got married in 2011 in Bogota. Here they are on their wedding day.
Wedding day: Mauricio and Catalina got married in 2011 in Bogota. Here they are on their wedding day.
Julie Bayona
<strong>Honeymooning: </strong>After the wedding, Catalina and Mauricio went on a three month long backpacking honeymoon, stopping off at destinations including the Taj Mahal in India, pictured.
Honeymooning: After the wedding, Catalina and Mauricio went on a three month long backpacking honeymoon, stopping off at destinations including the Taj Mahal in India, pictured.
Mauricio García Marulanda and Catalina Bernal Andrade
<strong>Family travels: </strong>Today, the couple have a young daughter Luna, who they enjoy traveling with. Here's the family in Chicago earlier in 2022.
Family travels: Today, the couple have a young daughter Luna, who they enjoy traveling with. Here's the family in Chicago earlier in 2022.
Mauricio García Marulanda and Catalina Bernal Andrade
<strong>Celebrating their relationship: </strong>Mauricio and Catalina, pictured here on vacation in Mexico, always celebrate their relationship on Christmas Day. "We always recall that was the day our relationship started," says Catalina.
Celebrating their relationship: Mauricio and Catalina, pictured here on vacation in Mexico, always celebrate their relationship on Christmas Day. "We always recall that was the day our relationship started," says Catalina.
Mauricio García Marulanda and Catalina Bernal Andrade