8.16.2019

At the end of August 2009, Michelle and John both traveled up to SUNY Oneonta to begin their college experience. There were hundreds of students from Long Island but not so many from New Jersey. In fact, there were only 2 people (besides Michelle) that had previously attended Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. One of those people was Michelle's friend, Tom Reade. On move-in day at Golding Hall Dorm, the RA's called all the Freshman out for a welcome speech and Michelle was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face in the crowd. Tom was standing with a new friend that happened to be placed in the dorm across the hall from him. Michelle called out to Tom, and his friend leaned over to him and told him something quietly. Once Michelle approached, Tom introduced her to his friend, John Guido. They became fast friends and started dating a few months later. Michelle noticed that he whispered something to Tom the day they met, but she could never get John to tell her what the secret was. Fast forward 9 years: John and Michelle went to their favorite place in the world, Montauk, NY. They walked up to the lighthouse and around the rocks to the beach. As they walked along the beach they stopped at John's favorite fishing spot. They sat down and he took her hand and revealed that 9 years earlier, on the first day they met he whispered to Tom, "I'm going to marry that girl." He then pulled out a ring and asked to spend the rest of his life with her, and the rest is history.