On a fateful evening in 2003 at Harvard University, two undergraduates waiting in line for the bathroom at a fraternity party struck up a conversation that would change their lives—and arguably the world. Mark Zuckerberg, a sophomore computer science student with a knack for coding, and Priscilla Chan, a freshman biology major with dreams of becoming a pediatrician, couldn’t have known that their serendipitous meeting at Alpha Epsilon Pi’s farewell bash would lead to a 22-year journey of love, partnership, and global impact. By May 29, 2025, the couple—now married for 13 years and parents to three daughters—has not only built a family but also a legacy through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), a philanthropy that has pledged billions to tackle some of humanity’s biggest challenges. Their story, which began with an awkward pickup line, is a testament to how love can inspire personal growth and collective change, though it also raises questions about the limits of their influence in a world increasingly skeptical of Big Tech.

Mark Zuckerberg, now 41, and Priscilla Chan, 40, met under less-than-glamorous circumstances. Zuckerberg, facing potential expulsion for creating Facemash—a prank app that let students rate classmates’ attractiveness—thought he might only have days left at Harvard. At the party, he turned to Chan and delivered what he later called “one of the all-time romantic lines” in his 2017 Harvard commencement address: “I’m going to get kicked out in three days, so we need to go on a date quickly.” Chan, a type-A student appalled by Zuckerberg’s suggestion to skip a midterm for their first date, wasn’t initially impressed. Yet, she saw past his nerdy exterior—complete with beer glasses emblazoned with a C++ joke, “pound include beer dot H,” as she recalled to the New Yorker in 2010—and found his awkward charm endearing. Their shared sense of humor and values laid the foundation for a relationship that would endure immense challenges and public scrutiny.

Their early years together were marked by the stark contrast of their backgrounds. Chan, born in Braintree, Massachusetts, to Chinese-Vietnamese refugee parents who fled Saigon in boats, grew up in Quincy, speaking Cantonese and interpreting for her grandparents while her parents worked long hours—her father at a restaurant, later a fish wholesaler. A valedictorian at Quincy High School, she earned a full scholarship to Harvard, driven by a passion for science and a desire to give back. Zuckerberg, raised in a Jewish family in Dobbs Ferry, New York, showed an early talent for programming, creating software by middle school and attending the elite Phillips Exeter Academy. At Harvard, he was already a tech prodigy, though his social awkwardness often cast him as an outsider. Chan, however, saw him as “just another guy,” not a future billionaire, a perspective that grounded their relationship from the start.

As Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard in 2005 to focus on what was then called The Facebook, Chan remained by his side, graduating in 2007 with a biology degree and later pursuing a medical career at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Their relationship, often long-distance, thrived on mutual support and strict ground rules—Chan insisted on one date per week and 100 minutes of alone time, away from Facebook, as reported by Business Insider. They raced in separate rowboats, played board games like Settlers of Catan, and reserved Sundays for Asian cuisine, building a partnership that balanced Zuckerberg’s relentless ambition with Chan’s empathetic pragmatism. When Zuckerberg turned down a $1 billion offer from Yahoo in 2006, Chan witnessed his stress but stood by him, a steadfast presence as he built Facebook into a global behemoth.

The couple married in a surprise backyard ceremony in Palo Alto on May 19, 2012, the day after Facebook’s IPO and days after Chan graduated from medical school. Guests, expecting a graduation party, were stunned when Zuckerberg announced their wedding. He wore a suit—a rare departure from his trademark hoodie—and presented Chan with a ruby ring he designed himself. Their honeymoon in Italy was characteristically low-key; they were spotted eating at McDonald’s, a moment dubbed “Zuck’s McHoneymoon” by tabloids. The simplicity of their early years together belied the immense wealth and influence they would amass—Zuckerberg’s net worth is estimated at $181 billion in 2025, according to Forbes—but it reflected their shared values of humility and purpose.

By 2025, Zuckerberg and Chan have become one of the world’s most influential power couples, largely through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, launched in 2015 with a pledge to donate 99% of their Facebook shares, then valued at $45 billion. CZI, a limited liability company focusing on health, education, and scientific research, has invested billions in initiatives like curing diseases, reforming education, and advancing criminal justice. They co-founded The Primary School in East Palo Alto in 2016, offering free K–12 education and healthcare, though it faced closure in April 2025 due to funding shortages, as reported by Wikipedia. CZI’s ambitious goals, such as curing all diseases by the end of the century, have drawn both praise and skepticism—critics argue that such promises are overly optimistic and question the ethics of a tech billionaire wielding such influence over public goods.

Their personal life, too, has been a journey of growth and resilience. Parents to Maxima (born 2015), August (2017), and Aurelia (2023), they’ve faced challenges, including three miscarriages before Maxima’s birth, which they shared publicly to support others, as noted by People. Zuckerberg, often portrayed as a “heartless robot” due to his social awkwardness, has revealed a softer side through his family. In 2024, he became a viral “wife guy,” gifting Chan a 7-foot statue of herself, a custom Porsche minivan, and a cover of “Get Low” with T-Pain—the song playing when they met—as reported by Business Insider. Chan, a pediatrician who worked at San Francisco General Hospital until 2017, brings emotional depth to their partnership, often tearing up in interviews and grounding Zuckerberg’s tech-driven worldview with her focus on human connection.

Their love story has changed them profoundly. Chan, who once saw Zuckerberg as a “nerdy guy who wasn’t that studious,” has shaped him into a more empathetic leader—his 2017 Harvard speech credited her as the “most important person in my life,” a sentiment echoed in his public tributes. Zuckerberg, in turn, has supported Chan’s medical career and philanthropy, amplifying her mission to serve underserved communities, a passion rooted in her own upbringing. Together, they’ve taught their daughters to help others, asking each night what they did to make a difference, a practice Chan shared with Today in 2014. Their commitment to humility is evident in their parenting—despite their wealth, they don’t fulfill every wish, focusing instead on values, as noted by Business Today.

But has their love story truly changed the world, as some claim? CZI’s impact is undeniable—donating $75 million to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, where Chan once worked, and funding research to combat diseases. Yet, their influence is not without controversy. Zuckerberg’s role at Meta has drawn criticism for privacy scandals, misinformation, and societal polarization, with some arguing that CZI’s philanthropy is a form of “billionaire activism” that bypasses democratic oversight. The closure of The Primary School campuses in 2025 highlights the limits of their funding model, raising questions about sustainability. Moreover, Zuckerberg’s political ties, such as attending Trump’s inauguration in January 2025 with Chan, have fueled debates about their alignment with progressive causes, despite their stated focus on equity.

The online community remains divided. Posts on X in 2018 praised Chan as a “change agent in Silicon Valley,” reflecting admiration for CZI’s mission, but recent sentiment, as seen in 2025 discussions, questions whether their wealth gives them undue influence over global issues. Some see their story as aspirational—a college romance that evolved into a partnership tackling humanity’s biggest challenges—while others view it as a polished narrative that distracts from Meta’s controversies. Their 20th dating anniversary in 2023, celebrated by recreating their first date at Pinocchio’s Pizza, showed their enduring bond, but it also underscored the privilege that allows them to shape the world on their terms.

Zuckerberg and Chan’s love story, born in a bathroom line at Harvard, has indeed changed them—from awkward college students to a power couple navigating fame, family, and philanthropy. Whether it has changed the world is less certain. Their billions have funded transformative research and education, but the systemic issues they aim to solve—disease, inequality, educational disparities—persist, and their methods raise ethical questions about power and accountability. As they continue their journey, now with three daughters “riding along,” as Chan wrote on Instagram in 2023, their story remains a compelling blend of love, ambition, and impact—a romance that started with a quirky pickup line and may yet leave a lasting mark on humanity, for better or worse.