In fall 2023, Brooke and I met while both attending University of California, Berkley. Our shared love for Greek and Latin literature bonded us in conversations that grew beyond friendship and coffee to dinners and dates. Our favorite Cafe 1951 was the place were I asked Brooke to be my girlfriend. She accepted and 2 years later, surrounded by our family and friends, we were able to make our connection official in the beautiful location of Big Sur.

After a year of dating, I proposed to Brooke on a crisp autumn evening in 2025, at the end of our favorite hike on Grizzly Peak Trail. As the sun set over the Bay, we paused at a lookout. I pulled out a ring, tucked inside a tiny sketchbook with my drawing of us, and asked her to marry me. she said yes.