We first met in the summer of 2019. Abigail had to leave early for a family dinner at her grandma’s house, and Tommy jumped at the chance to offer her a ride back to the dock—by boat. Abigail’s best friend Crystal was with her and came along for the ride. (And yes, Tommy loves to remind everyone that Crystal was his friend first.) It was a short trip, but something just clicked. Not long after, we went on a first date at Panera… and to be honest, it didn’t go very well. We ended up going our separate ways, but stayed friends over the years. Fast forward to summer 2021—Tommy messaged Abigail asking for a second chance. She made him work for it, but she couldn’t turn down a sunset boat ride under the Bay Bridge. From that night on, they’ve been best friends ever since.

While on a trip to CocoCay Island in the Bahamas, Tommy planned something special—a hot air balloon ride over the beautiful turquoise waters. It felt extra meaningful because Abigail’s parents had also gotten engaged in a hot air balloon years ago. Abigail had a small suspicion that something was up, but she didn’t want to get her hopes up. Still, when they arrived at the balloon, she started to feel that this might really be the moment. Tommy had thought everything through—even taking a tip from Abigail’s dad and tying the engagement ring to fishing line, just in case nerves (or altitude) got the best of him. As the balloon floated above the island, Tommy got down on one knee and asked Abigail to marry him. She said yes through happy tears, and just like that, they added a new chapter to a family love story—one that started in the sky and will last a lifetime.