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Arecent holiday phenomenon, the Countdown to Christmas, has become a major success for the Hallmark Channel. Each year, more than 80 million Americans tune in to a Hallmark Christmas movie. Hallmark’s 2026 holiday movie season begins this Friday. Millions love them, while millions of others call them cheesy. Love them or hate them, they are highly profitable, making Hallmark one of the top-ranked basic cable channels in the fourth quarter of every year and earning the company hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

One fan favorite is the 2018 release, “Once Upon a Christmas Miracle.” It tells the story of 24-year-old Heather Krueger, a health care professional who was also taking college classes when she was diagnosed with stage 4 liver disease. She was soon placed on an urgent liver transplant list.

Chris Dempsey, a co-worker of one of Heather’s cousins, heard about her need for a partial liver transplant and agreed to be tested. Remarkably, he was a match and donated a portion of his liver to save Heather’s life.

What makes this Hallmark movie unique and meaningful is that it is not fiction, but based on the true story of Heather and Chris. The movie changed a few minor details but largely remains true to what happened, though it compressed the timeline of how they fell in love, making it seem their romance blossomed during the holiday season before the transplant. In reality, while they built a friendship after Chris called to tell Heather he was a match, they fell in love during their hospital recovery and in the months that followed. Heather and Chris celebrate their 10th anniversary this Friday, Oct. 16, 2026.

By donating a portion of his liver to save Heather’s life, Chris revealed his character. He decided to risk his life and future health for someone he had never met. His unselfish decision to donate part of himself revealed who he was.

Jesus once said, “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:12-13, NLT)

As remarkable as Chris’s donation to his future fiancé and wife was, Jesus’ willingness to leave heaven and die on a cross so we could be right with God is the ultimate demonstration of love in its purest form. Jesus’ loving sacrifice offers us a hope we can barely begin to fathom. Chris’s loving sacrifice for Heather set the stage for the marriage they celebrate this week.

You and I open vast new depths of love when we do as Jesus commanded and love one another as he loved us.