RICHMOND, Va. -- Main Street Station, an iconic Renaissance Revival landmark in Shockoe Bottom, has been a distinctive part of Richmond's skyline for nearly 125 years. However, it was not only its historical significance that captured the attention of Jess and Justin Walker but also its role in a pivotal moment of their love story.
On August 30, 2004, the remnants of Hurricane Gaston unleashed a deluge upon Richmond, leading to severe flooding in the Shockoe Bottom area.
Jess and Justin, who had just met a few days earlier during orientation at Virginia Commonwealth University's pharmacy school, found themselves in the midst of this unexpected weather event.
While waiting outside the old VCU medical campus gym for a friend, Jess encountered Justin, who offered her a ride.
Jess accepted the offer. But what began as a simple act of kindness soon turned into a dramatic ordeal.
As they drove, Justin, unfamiliar with the city, mistakenly turned onto Broad Street instead of heading toward Jess's home in The Fan district.
Watch: Richmond Remembers: How Tropical Storm Gaston flooded Shockoe Bottom
That decision led them directly into the heart of the flooding.
"Honestly, this all, thinking about it now, how much of our life is revolved around him taking a wrong turn," Jess Walker said.
Their Volkswagen Golf was soon inundated by rising waters.
Stuck in front of Main Street Station, the car’s engine stalled, and water began to seep in.
Justin, realizing the gravity of the situation, decided they needed to escape.
"This kid who weighs even less than he does now, somehow slams my seat belt, grabs me by the neck, kicks open the door into the river. I mean, it's a river now, swims me to the steps of the train station," Jess recalled.
Once inside Main Street Station, the pair climbed to the second floor to avoid the rising water. From their vantage point, they watched the chaotic scene below — cars floating in debris.
Amtrak employees eventually evacuated everyone in the station by train, taking them to safety.
Watch: When Gaston flooded Richmond, this Bottom’s Up pizza cook made a life-saving decision: 'Just instinct man'
Jess and Justin's improvised dinner that night was a sandwich and a beer, shared on a train halted near Philip Morris.
Their unconventional first date was a test of their resilience and a sign of their strong bond.
Four years later, Justin proposed at Main Street Station, the site of their dramatic first encounter.
"He did propose on the steps of the train station," Jess Walker said with a smile. "So, yes, yes, yes, yeah. He's proud of that one."
What do you remember about Gaston? Email your memories to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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