Valerie, a freshman at Bridgewater State, visited her friend Alyssa (now Maid of Honor) at URI the first weekend of the Fall semester. Alyssa lived in a suite with two other roommates from Cumberland and two roommates (John and Austin, groomsman) from North Smithfield. Alyssa didn't know John or Austin well, as she had only met them a few days prior to Valerie coming down. All of Alyssa's roommates were hanging out together in their living room, and Valerie noticed John and tried her best to connect. John was wearing a Star Wars shirt that had the sheet music of a song from the movies on it, to which Valerie asked, "Can you sing it for me?" and John replied, "No". It was love at first sight for them both. Valerie asked her brother, Steven, who just transferred to URI that semester, if he knew of John. Steven had known John since high school through mutual friends. Valerie said to Steven, "Oh cool. I'm going to marry him.”

Valerie and John have been together ever since. They now live in Providence with their dog, Thomas.