John and Aysa met and began a friendship at The University of Houston in 2018. However, they lost touch for a few years following their moves to graduate school in Galveston and El Paso. The two reconnected in 2020 and re-established their friendship over daily texts, facetimes and phone calls while over 800 miles apart and managing PT/OT school. On December 23, 2020, they began an official long-distance relationship until Aysa graduated in December 2022 and returned to Houston.