Tim McGraw and Faith Hill may have an enduring love story but before they were the ultimate country music couple, Tim's heart belonged to someone else.
Tim split from his ex-girlfriend in 1996, which was the year he married Faith.
Who was the woman who dated the star before his wife?
© Getty ImagesTim and Faith met
They first laid eyes on one another at a Nashville gig at the end of 1994. They were both involved with other people at the time. However, Tim later confessed he fell for Faith "in an instant," after meeting her.
"I looked at her and was smitten right away," he told Jimmy Fallon.
© @thetimmcgraw InstagramFaith joined Tim on his Spontaneous Combustion tour in 1996, and they soon became a couple.
Later, Tim told People of that time: "We were young and silly and goo-goo-eyed in love."
Tim's romance
© Getty ImagesTim dated Kristine Donahue for three years. They were an item from 1993-1996 and stepped out on numerous red carpets together. Several outlets reported they were engaged but Tim called it off once he went on tour with Faith.
Years later, Tim was forced to deny reports that he had a "secret son" — who was not Kristine's biological child — with Kristine.
The 23-year-old claimed Tim had helped raise him when he was in a romance with his mom and even claimed he had maintained a relationship with him years later.
Faith saved him
© GettyNo reason was publicly given for his breakup with Kristine but Tim later revealed if it wasn't for Faith, his future would have been dark
"I guarantee you, had I not gotten married to Faith at 29 years old, A, I probably would’ve ran my career into the ground, and B, I would've died already with my career into the ground — one or the other," he told Apple Music 1 podcast host Zane Lowe. "And it wouldn’t have ever been where it’s at now."
Their three children
© Kevin MazurFaith and Tim went on to have three daughters; Gracie, Maggie and Audrey, who are now grown women.
He's forever thankful for the direction his life took with Faith and told Zane. "I think Faith and I, the lucky thing for us [was] when we decided to get married, we knew we wanted a family. We knew we wanted our family to come first, and we were 29 when we got married."
Eternally grateful
© Getty Images"I've been so fortunate and grateful for everything in my life," Tim has said. "Everything's gone way past any expectations and dreams that I could ever hope for," he said.
Revealing what is left on his bucket list, Tim added: "I just want a good, healthy life for my daughters and for them to pursue their dreams, have success, and to be happy – that's on my bucket list.
"And grandkids for sure down the road, but way down the road."
