Hergie Bacyadan and his wife Lady Digo started off as mere strangers but little did they know that they would find a partner in each other.

Although Hergie didn’t clinch a medal in his Olympic debut this year, he is undeniably winning in life having been able to find his ever-supportive wife through his journey as an athlete.

The 29-year-old athlete, who hails from Kalinga, was among the five boxers who fought for the Philippines in the recently concluded Paris Olympics. Other than boxing he is also known for his skills in martial arts, clinching the country’s first world Vovinam gold in 2023.

He also brought home a silver medal in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.

Meanwhile, his wife Lady worked in a bank for 10 years before deciding to switch to being a full-time content creator talking about financial literacy, specifically about forex trading, investment, and insurance.

Hergie identifies himself as a transman, while Lady shared that she is bisexual.

Curious about how the two met? Get to know their love story below.

How they met

In her 20-part TikTok series of how they met, Lady shared that she was merely Hergie’s follower on TikTok. At that time, she said she was still new to the app and was just randomly scrolling until she accidentally joined him on his livestream. Hergie just went on and greeted her, and they talked about working out. Lady mentioned that she wanted to jog, so Hergie invited her for one the next day.

@hergiebacyadan / Instagram

Unfortunately, Lady didn’t make it to their call time. To make up, she shared that Hergie invited her to go that afternoon instead but she had already had plans with her friends in Laguna. She tried to invite Hergie to go with her, without really expecting him to come since they were strangers. The boxer came, which marked their first in-person meeting, and the rest is history.

Officially tying the knot

Hergie Tao-wag Bacyadan / Facebook

After dating for around a year, Hergie popped the question with an impromptu performance of Forevermore at a resto-bar in Makati.

In November 2022, they tied the knot in a hotel room while on a Zoom call with an officiator from Utah. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the US state has allowed virtual weddings for international couples.

“Kahit maiksi pa lang tong pinagsamahan natin, siguro mga isang taon pa lang tayo, pero sabi ko nga sa’yo, sobrang ready na ko at talagang planado lahat nang ‘to, plano ng Panginoon ‘to na magtagpo tayong dalawa,” Hergie said in his vow.

In their previous interview with ABS-CBN News, the couple shared that they received their marriage license a week after, which is recognized in countries that recognize same-sex marriage. The two have also decided to keep their last names.

Later that year, they held a garden-themed wedding ceremony with their nearest and dearest in Rizal. They have also established their water refilling station business.

The couple has been sharing their journey on their Facebook page and YouTube channel dubbed Lady & Hergie, where they talk about their travels, and their love life, as well as advocate for the SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression) equality bill which recognizes every person’s fundamental rights.

Currently, the two are on their IVF (In vitro fertilization) journey in hopes of bearing their first child.