Dan and Emily met during the first year at Washington University School of Medicine. They spent hours studying together over the following four years. They stayed together long-distance during residency (Emily in Pittsburgh, doing Emergency Medicine training and Dan in San Jose doing Family Medicine), and finally reunited in Saint Louis in the summer of 2020, where they now share a home. Dan popped the question on Christmas Day 2020!
It was Christmas Day in the midst of COVID, and we were having a socially-distanced celebration. Emily's final present that night was a hand-made photo album chronicling their 7-year history together. The final photo showed Dan down on 1 knee. Emily found him in the basement, surrounded by rose petals and decorated lights spelling out "Marry Me". There were several minutes of hugs, tears, and confused/excited dogs before she finally said Yes! Emily's engagement ring is special because the diamond belonged to her grandmother, and has been re-set in a new ring designed by Dan.