How I Met My Mate | He Swept Me Off My Skis: Garth and Cindy Horne

ROCKWALL/HEATH, TX (Feb. 11, 2026) I met my husband, Garth, in 1991 while living in Germany, where he was a young lieutenant stationed with the U.S. Army. Our paths crossed on a ski trip to an Austrian mountain, the kind of carefree weekend adventure you imagine in your twenties—until I tore my ACL. What should have been an easy third date suddenly turned into Garth escorting me home, helping me up icy stairs, and presenting me—injured and embarrassed—to my dad. Instead of pulling away, he stayed. Looking back, that moment revealed the steady loyalty that would define our life together.

We continued our courtship across the rolling hills and cobblestone streets of Germany, building a foundation of shared laughter, long conversations, and a deepening trust. In 1993, he proposed, and a year later we married and began our first chapter as husband and wife at Fort Hood, TX.

From there, the Army—along with our own sense of adventure—carried us across nine states, each move marking a new season of growth. Along the way, we welcomed three children, filling our home with the joyful chaos that only a military family truly understands. Through deployments, cross-country moves, and reinvention after reinvention, we learned that home isn’t a place—it’s the person who helps carry you through every unexpected turn, even the ones that begin on an Austrian mountain with a torn ACL.

Our story is one of resilience, laughter, and partnership, and after all these years, the adventure continues.

Story and photo submitted by Cindy Horne, who lives in the Buffalo Creek neighborhood of Heath with her husband Garth and their dog, Maggie.

Editor’s Note: Each year for Valentine’s Day, Blue Ribbon News asks local couples to share stories of how they met. Publishing their tales of true love has become one of our favorite traditions. This year the response was overwhelming. Stay tuned to our Facebook page as Valentine’s Day approaches. The names of several lucky participating couples will be randomly drawn to win gifts from our local prize sponsors – Culpepper Cattle Co., Dodie’s Cajun Diner, Zanata, Wickland’s Sweet Connection, Lakeside Florist, and Wildflower Wigs.