We’re getting married!

As you all know, Billy is a part-time firefighter for Bethalto FD, & I am an EMT for Alton Memorial EMS. I had just started at AMH & we ran a call to an assisted living facility in Bethalto. Billy saw me on that call & afterwards, searched for me on Facebook. He messaged me, & we instantly became best friends. We didn’t start dating until May of 2024, but I think we both knew that this was meant to be - no matter how much I tried to deny it. I remember one day in April of 2024, I told my mom “I think I really like Billy”, even though her & all of my friends/coworkers knew for almost a year at that point.

My Grandma & Grandpa King were married for 52 years when Grandpa passed in 2018. I had always been in love with her ring, & it was given to my mom shortly before Grandma passed in 2023. Just a month into dating, my mom decided to give the ring to Billy, since I loved the diamond so much. So, Billy had the diamond re-mounted & designed just for me. It is SO special now, because the diamond in my engagement ring is Grandma’s, & blue sapphire was Aunt Lissa’s birth stone.

I’ve never wanted a public proposal, & Billy was well aware. I had just gotten home from running a couple of errands with my mom, & Billy told me that he needed help getting one of Paisley’s, our dog, toys out from underneath the couch. Of course, when I bent down to look & it wasn’t there, I stood up very confused. But when I turned around, Billy was down on one knee. Our engagement being so private & intimate was so, so special & I wouldn’t change it, even though I didn’t quite know what to do with my hands (😂). P.S from Billy. She also, almost 💩 her pants 😂