Barb Wise speaks to a Calsonic Arena audience Thursday night. Wise told Bedford County students her story of sex outside marriage, the tragic results and her dream man, committed to remaining a virgin until marriage, who stuck by her. (T-G Photo by Doug Dezotell)

Young people sat silently and on the edge of their Calsonic Arena seats on Valentine's Night as Barb Wise shared the heart-wrenching story of her journey from a diagnosis of HIV at age 27 -- to navigating the consequences of living with a terminal illness -- to being happily married for the past 14 years.

People all over the auditorium were seen wiping tears from their eyes as Wise shared her initial fears of possible rejection by family and loved ones when they heard of her diagnosis.

She had met and fallen in love with the man of her dreams, a 27-year-old virgin who had promised himself to wait until marriage to be intimate with a woman. He was ready to ask Barb to marry him when she was given the news about her HIV status.

Wise just knew that he would not want to continue in their relationship, feeling it wouldn't be fair to him, and she was ready for his rejection when she gave him the news.

To her utter amazement, Rick Wise, held her and cried with her, and then showed her a pile of business cards he had been collecting from jewelry stores where he had been looking at engagement rings.

Rick was in love and was committed to Barb, and he told her he was willing to make whatever sacrifices were necessary to make her his wife.

Today, 14 years later, the Wises make it their mission in life to tell young people about the consequences of promiscuous sex, the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases and the importance of abstinence until marriage.

Barb and Rick Wise, founders of WiseChoices, have been in town for a week to speak to young people about making wise choices when it comes to intimate relationships.

The Wises spoke at Community and Cascade High Schools last week, and were scheduled to speak at Liberty, Harris, and Central when schools were closed due to the snow and illness. They have agreed to stay this week and speak to middle and high school students on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Wises travel full-time and have spoken to over 80,000 people in 22 states and three foreign countries. Their video has been translated into Spanish, Russian and Hungarian.

"The Wises are friends of mine and I have spent a lot of time with them. They are just great Christian people," said Juli Rice, director of Choices That Challenge, a part of First Choice Pregnancy Center in Shelbyville. "Their presentation needs to be heard by our young people and young people all over."

First Choice Pregnancy Center brought the Wises to Shelbyville with the assistance of local churches, businesses, and concerned individuals.

Barb and Rick Wise are headquartered in Littleton, Colo. More information about their ministry is available at www.wise-choices.org.