Life as Kim and Krickitt Carpenter knew it was shattered beyond recognition on November 24, 1993, two months after their marriage, when their Ford Escort was hit from behind by a fast-moving truck. A massive head injury left Krickitt in a coma for weeks. When she finally emerged from the coma, she recognized her parents and everyone else-but she didn’t know Kim. She had no idea who he was. The “Krickitt” Kim had married essentially died in the accident.
The Vow is the true tale of the reconstruction of two lives and a marriage after an event so shattering that most others would have parted ways long ago. Though it was not easy, and it tested every fiber of who they were, Kim and Krickitt fell in love all over again.
Broadman & Holman Publishers (June 15, 2000)
From Christian Newswire
NASHVILLE, Feb. 17, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ — The Vow, Kim and Krickitt Carpenter’s amazing, true story of faith and commitment and the inspiration behind the No. 1 movie in the country, topped the New York Times non-fiction best-seller list in its first week of re-release.
From B&H Publishing Group, The Vow joins three other film-related, faith-based books as national best sellers, including The Resolution for Men, The Resolution for Women and The Love Dare, Nos. 10, 12 and 13, respectively on the Times paperback advice list.
“The phenomenal success of these books — each dealing with the importance of faith and commitment in the family — shows the great hunger for encouraging and inspiring messages today,” said Selma Wilson, B&H Publishing Group president. “The Carpenters, Alex and Stephen Kendrick and Priscilla Shirer are sharing needed and wanted truth and doing so in a way that encourages and engages readers.”
The Vow traces actual events from the 1990s, when Kim and Krickitt Carpenter met, fell in love and married. Just 10 weeks later, the couple survived a terrible car wreck with Krickitt awakening in the hospital married to a stranger. The accident had claimed 18 months of her memories, including all recollection of Kim.
With Kim committed to his marriage vows and Krickitt maintaining her strong Christian faith, even if recent memories were gone, the couple began the long road to a rebuilt relationship, choosing to fall in love again and capping that with a second wedding ceremony and renewal of their vows almost three years later.
Their story inspired the No. 1 movie in the country, THE VOW starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams, which took in over $40 million its opening weekend. The Vow book, in addition to its No. 1 rank on the Times non-fiction best-seller list, also earned the No. 7 spot for combined non-fiction print and e-books. The book, originally released in 2000, launched again Feb. 10 with an additional chapter and photos updating the Carpenter’s story.
“Krickitt and I feel very blessed that our story might give hope to others facing difficult circumstances,” Kim Carpenter said, “and inspire them to stick together for better or worse, in sickness and in health.”
