Community Corner

Operation Tie the Knot: Vote for Derek and Krystina

High school sweethearts U.S. Army Specialist Derek McConnell and his girlfriend Krystina Dressler are finalists in dream wedding giveaway.

Local sweethearts are in the running to win an engagement ring and dream wedding in Operation: Tie the Knot.

U.S. Army Specialist Derek McConnell, a Parsippany resident, and Krystina Dressler of Fairfield, currently have the most votes of the 10 military couples competing in an online giveaway presented by Venus Jewelers.

In July 2011, while serving in Afghanistan, McConnell suffered life-threatening injuries when he stepped on two IEDs while saving the life of another soldier. Dressler has stood by the side of her wounded soldier, who suffered brain injuries, a cracked skull and jaw, internal injuries and lost both his legs.

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The couple met in high school six years ago. He is a 2008 graduate of West Essex High School in North Caldwell and she graduated a year later in 2009. They want nothing more than to be married, according to their contest entry.

“I believe we deserve to win because with all the BOTH of us have gone through in the journey, the one thing we keep talking about is how badly we want to be married,” Dressler says. “That would make our life, and complete our happy ending.”

Find out what's happening in Parsippanywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Vote for Derek and Krystina here before Dec. 16, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

See more stories about SPC Derek McConnell:

  • Wounded Parsippany Vet to be Profiled on CBS
  • Help Needed for Wounded Soldier's Homecoming
  • Local Soldier Suffers Life-Altering Injuries in Afghanistan


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