Valentine's Day surprise for young veteran couple joyfully delivered by Muggsy Bogues and Veterans United
Veterans United paid off the mortgage of Army vet Forrest Severson and his wife
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}NBA legend Muggsy Bogues sank a basket during a break in a Charlotte Hornets game last week, sealing the deal to pay off the mortgage of a U.S. veteran and his new wife, just ahead of Valetine's Day.
It was a setup – Forrest Severson had already won – but he didn't know it at the time.
Veterans United, the nation’s largest mortgage lender for veterans, began a campaign called #ThanksToVeterans on Veterans Day in 2021. From around the country, nearly a dozen members of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps received fully paid homes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Severson and wife Sarah Arnold were the recipients of the 11th home this past Wednesday night at the Hornets game, when the campaign paid off their mortgage.
Forrest Severson and wife Sarah Arnold kiss at the beach. (Forrest Severson)
Severson joined the military in the fall of 2018, but both he and his wife came from families who served this country. Arnold’s father was active duty in the Air Force and Severson’s father was in special forces.
"We were used to moving around to a new base every couple of years," Arnold told Fox News Digital.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But it was at the U.S. base in Germany where Severson and Arnold first met.
"We actually met at the base's high school when we were 14 years old, and we were lab partners in biology together." Arnold said. "I was always flirty with him."
But it took them a little time to warm up to one another.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We both had crushes on each other, but we were both too shy to make a move" Severson said.
Forrest Severson and Sarah Arnold take a selfie together. (Forrest Severson)
After their encounter, their families moved to the next base, but they remained friends on Facebook and kept up with each other's lives from afar.
"I occasionally did a little Facebook stalking to see if he was dating anyone," Arnold told Fox News Digital. "I always had a sentimental feeling when Severson reached milestones like graduating from college."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In 2019, Arnold move to South Korea to teach English. A few months later, after finishing basic training, Severson received the orders that he would be stationed in South Korea.
"I didn't know anyone in South Korea, until I remembered that Sarah was living there," Severson said. "I messaged her on Facebook."
Severson told Fox News Digital that he "felt very excited to meet up with Sarah again."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On the first day that Severson was able to leave the base, he met up with Arnold.
"After a few dates, Forrest finally confessed to me that he had thought about me for many years and was really nervous to initially move to South Korea, but was excited to reconnect with me," she said. "Forrest told me that he didn't want to miss the opportunity to be with me and do it right," Arnold said.
"We felt like fate had brought us back together. It was fireworks, like a movie," Arnold said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Forrest Severson and Sarah Arnold stand together. (Forrest Severson)
"It was surreal to be with him again and it was so special to find someone who was also raised as a military brat," Arnold said.
In order to be closer to the U.S. base where Severson was stationed, Arnold was looking to change jobs, when she got "a feeling, an intuition, that we should just try to commit to each other."
Severson's contract at the South Korea base and Arnold's teaching contract did not line up exactly.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We didn't have a lot of stability geographically, we could have easily been separated again" Severson said. "We had talked about it, and we knew we wanted to get married to have that stability."
Forrest Severson and Sarah Arnold share a kiss. (Forrest Severson)
In March 2020, COVID-19 began shutting down the world.
"On March 7, 2020, the day we got back from getting married, I looked at my inbox and I had new orders to report to Fort Bragg," Severson told Fox News Digital.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}They moved to North Carolina from South Korea, into a house they bought from across the world without ever stepping foot in it.
"We got incredibly lucky, we followed our intuitions and embraced spontaneity," Arnold said.
"I was forced to medically retire after sustaining several injuries in Korea. Both Sarah and I had many fears about paying off our new mortgage" Severson said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We were facing many financial burdens since we were not anticipating Forrest needing to retire early," Arnold told Fox News Digital.
Forrest Severson and Sarah Arnold in South Korea. (Forrest Severson)
It was Veterans Day 2021 when Severson saw and entered into the Veterans United Facebook post about the #ThanksToVeterans giveaway campaign.
Arnold, however, was skeptical, "I was a little concerned, thinking it was a scam, but I'm so happy that Forrest didn't listen to me and entered the giveaway!"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A few weeks later, Severson and Arnold received a phone call from Veterans United telling them that they were finalists in the home giveaway and requesting family and friends references. Severson and Arnold happily gave a few names of family and friends including their close friends Christian and Brittany Horsley. Little did they know they had already won the home giveaway -- but Veterans United wanted to surprise them.
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The Horsleys got to work creating the perfect surprise for their friends. Using a work promotion as a ruse, the Horsleys convinced Severson and Arnold that they were invited as special guests at the Charlotte Hornets NBA game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"When we first got to the stadium there were cameras everywhere filming us going up to our box seats," Severson said.
"Our friends did an excellent job at surprising us with the home giveaway. We were 100% surprised when we found out we had won the fully paid home from Veterans United," Severson said.
Severson and Arnold were told to come out to center court, where Bogues made a free throw to "win" the new home.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"At that moment, it clicked for us – we were so shocked," Severson said.
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Nearly 1,000 soldiers and military family members from Fort Bragg, along with about 500 veterans and their families from surrounding communities, were in attendance.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Both Severson and Arnold said they are overwhelmed and extremely grateful to Veterans United.
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"It was a lot to process, but we are so excited to what this means for our future and the financial freedom it gives us. We are so excited to dream what we'll do in our new home," Arnold said.