We have all heard the old saying “You will find love whenever you least expect it.”
Well, for Savannah Phyffer, it was more about “where” than “when.”
The temporary employee has had quite a number of failed relationships over time while living in his hometown of Perth, Western Australia.
But she didn’t know much, she was just looking in all of the unsuitable places.
Fast forward to today, the 29-year-old is the happiest she’s ever been after falling head over heels with the love of her life, Alex, 31.
In response to Savannah, he is nice, caring, funny and type – all qualities she could want in a person.
The one catch? He’s an American prisoner currently in a jail in Nevada, greater than 15,000 km away.
The couple wrote letters to one another through a mailing service called “Write A Prisoner”, which allows people from all over the world to attach with prisoners currently serving their sentence.
They could be male or female prisoners from everywhere in the United States, and their crimes vary in severity.
While some face just a number of months in prison, others await the inevitable on death row.
“It’s pretty funny the way it all happened,” Savannah told news.com.au.
“On the Write a Prisoner website, I discovered one other prisoner I wrote to. They replied to one among my letters and I wrote back.
“But I never heard of them again. Then I unexpectedly received a letter from Alex.
“He was in the identical prison as the primary man I wrote to. It seems that the primary man gave him my details.
“So you possibly can say that he has made the primary move.
“We began texting forwards and backwards until we were finally talking on the phone. Feelings bloomed from there.
“I never imagined falling in love with someone like this, but sometimes it happens.”
Five months after their first introduction, Savannah and Alex officially announced their relationship in September 2022, despite never having met in person.
“It just happened naturally,” she said.
“We didn’t really put a label on it until sooner or later we realized we didn’t wish to be with anyone else.
“So we thought, let’s make it official and we became boyfriend and girlfriend.
“The proven fact that we’ve not met in person yet doesn’t trouble us in any respect. Our personalities fit together so well and we just get along like a house on fire.”
Although the couple has yet to fulfill in person, they talk on the phone day by day, often twice a day.
Alex doesn’t have access to a cellular phone, but can call the prison landline to Savannah, who must get a US phone number.
He also has a tablet with an email-type system that prisoners can use to receive emails and photos, but cannot reply to them.
Savannah says their relationship is the most effective she’s ever had, they usually fall increasingly in love every day.
“I’m happier than ever with Alex,” she beamed.
“There’s something magical between us and I just know who I’m presupposed to be with.
“She makes me feel incredibly special and loved. I’ve never been treated so well before.
“The trouble she puts into our relationship is amazing. I feel so protected.
While she didn’t wish to reveal details of his crime for security reasons, Savannah said it had nothing to do with “murder or crimes against women or children.”
Alex was locked up in 2020 and is on account of be released by 2026 at the most recent – but he hopes he could be released as soon as next yr.
When the time comes, she plans to maneuver to the USA to be with her lover.
But for now, Savannah has finally gotten the green light to book a plane ticket and fly to Nevada so she will be able to finally meet the love of her life in person.
“I’m so excited to simply hug and kiss him,” she said.
“It can be the most effective feeling on the earth. I can not even imagine how amazing it should be.
“I talk over with his sister not less than once per week and we get along thoroughly. She’ll give you the option to assist me after I’m there.
Savannah shares her story to assist raise awareness of the heavy stigma and unfair judgment that folks in prison often face.
She desires to spread the message that folks’s mistakes shouldn’t define them and that everybody deserves a second probability.
“Individuals are so quick to evaluate or make their very own unsuitable assumptions,” she said.
“A silly mistake someone made years ago shouldn’t define who they’re today. People change, grow up and learn from their past.
“Not everyone had the identical benefits and a privileged start in life.
“So many individuals tell me I’m crazy to be with someone who’s in prison. But he treats me higher than ever before.
“He’s man with heart. That is all that matters to me and I’m very enthusiastic about our future together.”