TIFU by getting hit in the face by a deer on a first date

Well, not actually today, but two years ago.

In the summer of 2024, after leaving a toxic job, I decided to take a six-week vacation before looking for a new one. I spent the summer at my family's trailer on a small island, about an hour away by boat from the city where I live.

Around that time, I finally felt ready to end the two-year break I had taken from dating, and a friend suggested Bumble, so I gave it a try. A few disappointing matches and a short-lived situationship later, I matched with J (31M). We hit it off and, since I was already away for the summer, we spent over a month talking, before finally deciding to meet. He offered to take the one-hour ferry to the island for our first date.

Since I knew the area well, I suggested we visit a tiny nearby island, that's only accessible by a small boat. It's a protected nature reserve with crystal-clear waters and deer and peacocks roaming freely. I'd been there more than 20 times over the years and had safely interacted with the animals.

As we boarded the little boat, we noticed several warning signs telling visitors to stay away from the deer. Feeling way too confident, I laughed them off and told J they were probably there for liability reasons because, in my experience, the deer always kept their distance.

You can probably see where this is going…

As soon as we arrived, J went to change into his swimsuit, while I sat on a bench near the beach bar eating a snack. Out of nowhere, a deer came up behind me and tried to steal the snack. When I instinctively pulled my hand away, it got frustrated and swung its antlers straight into my face, missing my left eye by just a few centimeters.

So, there I was, about 30 minutes into my first date, bleeding profusely while trying to process the fact that I'd just been assaulted by a deer.

We later learned that tourists had been feeding them all summer, making them bold enough to come and steal food from visitors. Apparently, several people—including a child—had already been injured.

When J came back, he found me covered in blood. Somehow, we both stayed surprisingly calm. The beach bar staff disinfected the wound, and I joked that he'd only gotten to see me "pretty" for a few minutes before I ended up with a hole in my face, but I still wanted to continue the date if he was okay with it.

He agreed, and we had a drink and even went for a swim. Despite the circumstances, I distinctly remember thinking his long, wet curly hair smelled amazing. Eventually, though, we decided to leave because my face wouldn't stop bleeding.

We got back and I drove us to the island's medical center, where J stayed with me while I got a tetanus shot and a few stitches. He remained calm and reassuring throughout the whole thing, and we even managed to joke about the situation. Afterwards, we grabbed lunch before he caught the ferry back home.

That date quite literally scarred me for life! (Pun intended)

Two years later, I have a small but pretty noticeable scar under my left eye... and a two-year relationship with the love of my life.

It took another two dates before anything happened between us. J was shy and didn't make a move until he asked if he could kiss me (which I found adorable). A few months later we officially became a couple, and I've never fallen so hard for someone. He's handsome, smart, sweet, sensitive (and always cooks for me, lol), and most importantly, he didn't let a deer attack scare him away.

To his friends, I was "the deer girl" for a long time, and we still tell the story of our first date whenever someone notices the little scar under my eye. Last year we even went back to the same island for our "Deer Anniversary." Thankfully, the deer had gone back to their normal behavior.

Throughout our relationship, we've spent countless evenings listening to Reddit story podcasts together, so I thought I'd dig up my old Reddit account and finally contribute one of our own. J, if you somehow ever stumble across this: I love you, and I feel incredibly lucky to have you.

Here's to many more Deer Anniversaries—preferably with fewer antlers.

TL;DR: I confidently told my first date the deer at a nature reserve were harmless. A few minutes later, one hit me in the face with its antlers, I needed stitches, got a permanent scar, and somehow ended up with the love of my life.