Dallas comedian's 4,500-mile first date goes viral — and sparks real romance
The holidays can feel especially lonely when you're still searching for love. But one Dallas woman is proving that when the connection is real, distance doesn't stand a chance. She boarded a plane and traveled more than 4,000 miles for a first date — and a shot at meeting Mr. Right.
Dallas comedian and actress Theresa Rowley shares much of her life online with thousands of followers. But even with a growing fan base, she says fame hasn't exactly made finding love any easier.
"It was difficult, and it was quite lonely," Rowley said. "So I focused on other things, being creative."
That changed when Sean Rooney, from Longford, Ireland, sent her a direct message.
"He shot me a message, and it was a nice compliment, in that creative Irish way," Rowley said.
Rooney remembers it the same way.
"I'd see Theresa pop up online and I'd think, 'This girl is funny,'" Rooney said. "I figured it couldn't hurt to try."
After weeks of calls and FaceTimes, the two decided to meet on a first date 4,500 miles away.
"Were you nervous?" Rowley was asked.
"Terrified," she said.
Asked whether she feared he could be a stalker, Rowley said, "I was! But I felt in my gut it was a safe situation."
She brought a friend along, just in case, but once the two met, the nerves faded.
"He just seemed to understand me," she said. "I just knew it was going to be something."
Rowley began documenting their growing relationship on social media, and the videos quickly went viral — even catching the attention of Ireland's media and tourism department, which later flew her back at no cost.
A 2025 global study shows she's not alone: one in six couples now meet online — a 21% increase since 2010.
Rooney says the distance hasn't stopped their connection. "The difficult part is not being able to reach out and touch that person," he said. "But it hasn't prevented us from getting to know each other well."
He has since visited Texas, sampled Buc-ee's and brisket, and spent Thanksgiving with Rowley's family.
"We never saw this coming," Rowley said.
Now, the couple is taking their relationship one day at a time, hoping their story gives others a little courage — and maybe a bit of Irish luck.
"Don't give up," Rooney said. "You just have to believe there's another connection out there for you."