David Lemanowicz | David Lemanowicz Posing for a Picture with His Family | Source: Getty Images | Instagram/jillwagner
David Lemanowicz may be chiefly known as Jill Wagner's husband, but the father-of-three has led an impressive career. Lemanowicz holds degrees from different institutions, is a former professional hockey player, and is now serving in the US Army.
Last August, David Lemanowicz and his actress wife, Jill Wagner, added a bundle of joy to their family, Daisy Roberta Lemanowicz. Announcing the pregnancy in April 2021, the couple revealed that they hadn't planned for another baby, but the news was still received well.
Wagner penned a love letter for her husband following her "scary" situation during her labor. The actress reflected on how safe her husband made her feel. She complimented how well Lemanowicz handled the dread that came with the complications of their daughter's birth.
Wagner shared how her gratitude for life and her connection to her husband became more profound. Before Daisy Roberta joined the family, the couple welcomed Army Gray in April 2020. However, Lemanowicz was already a father to Lija before marrying Wagner.
In her love letter, Wagner thanked Lemanowicz for giving her and their children the strength to push through, calling him "a strong, devoted partner." Lemanowicz has displayed those qualities with the accolades he continues to accrue in his career as he also leads a fulfilling family life.
David Lemanowicz Was a Professional Hockey Player
David Lemanowicz drew his first breath in Edmonton, Canada, on March 8, 1976. Per the National Hockey League page, Lemanowicz began his hockey career in 1991, playing for the Kelowna Spartans. His last season was between 2007 and 2008 when he played for the Rio Grande Valley Bees.
In 2009, the 49-year-old reflected on his career as he had recently retired. Lemanowicz revealed that his best experience as a hockey player was his last year playing for Spokane. He joined the team in 1992, with his final year being 1996.
From then onwards, he played for a few more teams before enrolling at the University of Toronto in 2001 to pursue a degree in International Relations. During the first two years of that pursuit, he played for the Univerisity of Toronto.
Lemanowicz coached for another two before playing for the Mississippi Riverkings in Memphis between 2004-5. In 2009, he pursued his master's degree in Global Security Studies at the University of Texas-Pan American through the ROTC program.
Despite being a Canadian native, Lemanowicz joined the US Army Reserve. In 2010, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant. However, he told The Spokesman-Review that he still hoped to work a day job in a federal agency, such as the FBI or the DEA.
Lemanowicz's parents are immigrants who settled in Vancouver, British Columbia. When he talked about why he joined the Army, Lemanowicz explained that the reason was due to the oppressive nature of his parent's place of birth. According to The Spokesman-Review, he said:
"They grew up in such an oppressive society that it made me think how good we have it in First World countries. [...] I never really thought about, ‘Oh, I want to make a ton of money.’ It’s just the way I was wired and socialized as a boy."
Lemanowicz also expressed how lucky he felt to be part of, have access to, and serve America's polity and institutions. At the time, he was also married to a woman named Gina. The pair had met in Lemanowicz's student years in Toronto. They married in 2005, but it's unknown when they separated.
Lemanowicz was promoted from Captain to Major during a ceremony held on October 22, 2020. It took place on the roof of the US consulate in Canada, as the Major requested since he and his family were in the country.
His wife, Jill Wagner, and their daughter Army Gray were present. Wagner held a Facebook Live shortly before the ceremony began. She explained that she would be the one to help Lemanowicz don his new pin, symbolizing his new rank in the Army.
David Lemanowicz and Jill Wagner's Relationship Was Full of Unexpected Twists
David Lemanowicz and Jill Wagner met when the actress was 17. The former pro athlete, who was 20 then, was passing through North Carolina on hockey business. Wagner recalled sneaking out of her house to go and meet him. According to Heavy, she recounted:
"I snuck out of my dad’s window at home and went out at night, which I wasn’t supposed to… I snuck out and met him. Fell completely head over heels."
The young lovebirds went on three dates before Lemanowicz disappeared When talking about why he went "missing in action," the US Army Major jokingly explained:
"20-year-old athlete, 20-year-old hockey player… I’m just saying. Guys have done worse as 20-year-old guys."
The lovebirds fatefully met again 17 years later at a dinner held in Afghanistan. Wagner was in the country for the USO Tour while the Air Force had deployed Lemanowicz. The US Major saw the actress as she was signing autographs.
He wasn't sure if it was her since the USO picture didn't look like her, so he searched for her online. Once he had the confidence to approach her, the actress confirmed that she was indeed the young lady he had left all those years ago. However, they were both seeing other people at the time.
In 2016, they reunited again when Lemanowicz had just walked into the restaurant Wagner was in with her girlfriends. The actress had just broken up with her lover, and Lemanowicz was visiting his daughter in Los Angeles.
They fell in love once more that year and engaged in July. They married in 2017 and currently stay on a Tennessee Farm. Since their love story resembled the storyline of a romance film, Wagner revealed that Hallmark was turning it into a movie. At the time, it was still a story in development.
David Lemanowicz and Jill Wagner's Daughters
Before welcoming their first daughter, David Lemanowicz and his wife, Jill Wagner, had been trying for a while with no luck. Yet when they booked an appointment with a fertility doctor, they found that Wagner was already pregnant.
The couple was surprised by the news as Wagner hadn't experienced typical pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness. They announced the news in November 2019 and welcomed Army Gray on April 17, 2020.
Army Gray's name had unique origins. Wagner revealed that she had another name in mind and changed it when she found that her first daughter was conceived on a patriotic holiday on July 4 (Independence Day). Hence, she thought it'd be fitting for her daughter to have a patriotic name.
Moreover, Army Gray's dad was in the Army, so she wanted to honor both aspects of her existence. Army Gray's middle name came from her mom, who loved it because she thought it was "strong, intelligent, soft, and feminine." A little over a year later, they welcomed Daisy Roberta on August 19, 2021.
Army Gray and Daisy Roberta have an older sister named Lija from one of Lemanowicz's previous relationships. Lija is 12 years old as of this year and enjoys big a big sister to her siblings. Wagner spoke of how seriously she takes her elder sisterly duties.
Lija was already changing diapers, giving bottles, and singing to Army Gray before Daisy Roberta came along. Lija was also excited about her arrival. Wagner described her as "the best big sister."
Jill Wagner Is a Hallmark Star
Jill Suzanne Wagner took her first breath in Winston-Salem, California, on January 13, 1979. The actress was raised by her dad, David Wagner, and her grandmother since her mom passed after she was born. She also has an older brother, Brandon, and her dad is a Marine.
She has appeared in several movies like "Autumn Dreams," and "Hearts of Winter." Jill also appeared in TV series such as "Teen Wolf" and "Handcrafted America," and alongside Ashton Kutcher in "Punk'd." As a North Carolina State University alumna with a business degree, Jill still had artistic inclinations.
She enjoyed ballet and dance as a child, and she has spoken fondly of her family, who gave her an animated childhood and "strong roots." They also helped her believe in herself when she decided she wanted to join the entertainment industry.
Before gaining acting opportunities from Hallmark, Jill had already made a name for herself. Her grandmother loved Hallmark movies, and so the pair agreed to decide together on which projects were best and appropriate for Jill to take on. From then onward, she became a Hallmark household name.
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