DETROIT – As Valentine’s Day approaches, love and the many ways people express it are top of mind across Metro Detroit.
For Terrence and Trula James, love isn’t just a holiday theme.
It’s a second chance that arrived later in life, after decades apart, and it’s now inspiring others to keep hope alive.
The Detroit Area Agency on Aging recently introduced Terrence and Trula and shared their story of a connection that began in their teens, drifted with life’s twists and turns, and ultimately returned—stronger than ever.
Terrence and Trula first met years ago at Detroit’s Rouge Park, where they both worked as lifeguards around the Brennan Pools as teenagers.
Terrence remembers it clearly: Trula was taking her lifeguard swim test, and he was already working as one.
“She got assigned to my pool, and we just became friends,” Terrance said.
That friendship became part of their foundation—one built on familiarity, shared history, and time spent side by side as young people figuring out who they were.
Trula is 64, and Terrence is 63 (he turns 64 in early April).
But in between their teen years and the present day, as they describe it, “life went on.”
They drifted apart.
Each built separate lives and had other relationships.
Terrence married and later divorced, and through it all, the two longtime friends didn’t stay in touch.
“My situation was pretty tough back then,” Terrence shared.
Years later, an unexpected online moment shifted the course of both their lives.
Trula came across Terrence’s profile on LinkedIn and noticed something that concerned her.
“She saw me on LinkedIn. And she said that I looked unhappy,” Terrence recalled. “She sent me a message saying, ' You just don’t look happy.’”
That message led to a phone call, then a meeting—followed by a meaningful, emotional reconnection that was a little awkward at first.
Their daughters were there to witness it.
Terrence joked that his daughter looked at him like, Who is this guy hugging my mother like this? But the moment also made something clear.
“It was clear we had history,” Trula said.
Terrence said they took things slowly, with honesty about what they wanted.
“I’m not in this to have a boyfriend or a girlfriend,” he told her. “If I want to be around, I want to be a husband.”
It was later in life, but the couple decided to give love a real chance—through old-fashioned dating and intentional courting.
Their renewed relationship also came with serious challenges.
Terrence faced major health issues, including a liver transplant. During that time, Trula made her commitment clear.
“I felt like, who’s there for him?” Trula said. “So, I was going to be there for him. Marriage or not.”
Trula was, and Terrence recovered following a successful transplant surgery.
Terrence and Trula were married on June 24, 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They say the years they spent apart ultimately strengthened their bond.
Terrence also shared that even while they were out of touch, people close to him had heard him say something surprising.
“There were people who were around me, who I used to tell, if I ever got married again, it would be to this woman,” he said—referring to Trula.
Trula said she met those people later and realized he meant it.
“And when I did, I said, ‘Oh, he’s serious,” she said.
For the Jameses, finding love later in life isn’t just possible—it became necessary.
“It was like, look, we had a second chance at love,” Trula said, “and it’s not going to end like this.”
Their relationship continues to grow through connection, shared experiences, and community resources.
Through programs connected to the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, the couple stays engaged and keeps building a life together.
As entrepreneurs in their 60s, they’re also taking advantage of free classes through the Wayne County Community College District.
“And it keeps us active,” Terrence said.
“It keeps us active,” Trula echoed.
Looking back, the couple says their love story has come full circle—and they hope it encourages others not to stop believing in new beginnings.
“God kept me here for a reason,” Terrence said. “And he put us back together for a reason.”
The Jameses hope their story inspires others—especially seniors—to stay open to love and connection and to explore local support and enrichment opportunities, including resources from the Detroit Area Agency on Aging and free learning opportunities through institutions like the Wayne County Community College District.
Click here for more information about the Detroit Area Agency on Aging.
For more information about the Wayne County Community College District senior programs, click here.