It all started in 2020 — deep in the first months of COVID — while Heather was in her final year of optometry school in Phoenix, Arizona. Her last year was spent on rotations, which meant every three months she packed up and moved to a new city to see a different demographic of patients. On the morning of July 6, 2020, the Monday after Fourth of July weekend, she woke up to a DM from a man on Instagram with the username @BartoloTheSavior saying:
“Three years later… I think we should finally meet.” She was confused at first — who is this man?
But after scrolling up, she realized… he was right. Back in 2017, this same man had messaged her saying she was beautiful and that he’d love to take her out. But back then, the timing was all wrong — she was seeing someone else and leaving for Arizona to begin optometry school — so she kindly turned him down. Fast forward three years, and that same guy decided to shoot his shot again. And Heather? Well… she loves a man who’s consistent. They began talking and quickly learned something funny: they were over 2,000 miles apart (Heather in Arizona, Adam in New Jersey), but both grew up in NJ just 20 minutes from each other — yet somehow with zero mutual friends. Adam admitted he initially found Heather on the Instagram Discover Page, and from there, they got on like a house on fire. Texting nonstop. Talking every day. Not sure where it would go, but not wanting to stop. Then, fate stepped in. Heather’s second rotation — which was supposed to be in Tucson, AZ — was cancelled due to COVID. She was given a last-minute list of open rotation sites across the country… and on that list was Omni Eye Services in West Orange, NJ — the town she grew up in where her parents still reside. Choosing New Jersey was a no-brainer… especially with Adam just a few towns over. And that’s when they finally met. Their first date was at a cozy Cuban spot in Clifton, NJ, where they talked for hours — so long that the waiter was ready to kick them out. That summer, they spent every moment they could together before Heather had to leave for her next rotation in Rhode Island, and then back to Arizona to graduate. Long distance wasn’t easy, but they never gave up on each other. After graduation, Heather moved home permanently to start her residency in NYC, and Adam asked her to be his girlfriend — life truly began. Their worlds blended effortlessly. They met each other’s friends, who felt like family right away. They connected through shared experiences — growing up with immigrant parents, big friend groups, similar values, and a love for adventure. They traveled, learned, laughed, navigated highs and lows, and became each other’s best friend. Then, on November 8, 2024, during their joint 30th birthday trip in Punta Cana, Adam got down on one knee and asked Heather to marry him. It was the easiest “yes” she has ever said. And now, they cannot wait to spend forever together.