As with all modern romances, it all began with a mix of digital curiosity and a swipe to the right. At the time, Michael had been living in Philadelphia working as a Physical Therapist and Ackelia in Maine working remotely as a marketing manager to escape NYC's lockdown. Initial conversations were fueled by our mutual interest for travel, the latest Netflix craze, and each city's restaurant scene. Our connection grew virtually through our weekly FaceTime calls, daily phone conversations, and nightly texts, until we finally were able to meet in person mid-summer for a sidewalk brunch; socially distanced of course. We quickly learned that we had so much to offer each other due to our wide range of interests and personal experiences. Michael pushed boundaries by introducing her to his favorite winter activity of skiing, while Ackelia did the same by suggesting the spiciest items on the menu and upgrading his style with her amazing fashion sense. Through the years, we enjoyed exploring new cities, sites, and even international trips to such places as Colombia, Curaçao, Mallorca and most importantly, Ackelia's home country of Jamaica. One of our last and most memorable trips was to Portugal, where Michael got down on one knee at the scenic overlook in Lisbon to pop the question.