The Petro Truck Stop That Brought One Couple Together

For this month's Love In A Small Town feature, we asked Patch readers to tell us the story behind their romantic chance encounters. This is Robin Doiron-Yorke's story:

“After graduating from trucking school in June of 2000, I was on my first long haul job bringing a load of paper plates from upstate New York to Phoenix, Arizona. It was my first time so far from home, and I was really excited, stopping all along the way to send postcards to friends and family back home. When I was mailing some postcards at the Petro truck stop off of I-40 in Amarillo, Texas, I caught the attention of a man standing outside the door by slamming the postal door real hard, making noise.

His name was Dan Yorke. We started talking, and I asked him to go to Phoenix with me. Four days later after unloading my plates, we were at another Petro in Eloy, Arizona. The motel and bar next door was having an open mic night, and Dan sat in with the band, playing guitar and singing ‘Stormy Monday’ by The Allman Brothers Band. I was floored! We officially ‘became a couple’ that night.

Two weeks later, he was back home with me in Windsor Locks. After 15 long years of some real struggling, we said our vows to marry on Feb. 28, 2015! Gregg Allman and The Allman Brothers Band were the start to a conversation, which led us to a relationship as a couple, which led us to the altar as husband and wife.

Sadly, Dan passed away Aug. 25, 2017. We were together a total of 17 years! He had always said it was fate — I always said it was just our luck!”

—Robin Doiron-Yorke

See all Patch "chance encounters" here.

For next month's Love In A Small Town feature, we want to help you give Mom the best Mother's Day gift ever. Write her a heartfelt letter to tell her how much she means to you, email it to locallove@patch.com and we'll feature it in your town's newsfeed on Mother's Day. Get more details here.

Image Credit: Robin Doiron-Yorke