How We Met: Jaymar & Grace It all started in the hallways of St. Mary’s High School in August of 2005. Jaymar Foronda was a wide-eyed freshman, still trying to navigate the chaos of high school life. Grace Ramos, on the other hand, was a confident and graceful junior — a blooming flower, as Jaymar would later describe her. She seemed so far out of reach, a star in his sky that he could only admire from afar. He remembers seeing her often in B Hall on his way to class, heart quietly racing as he stole glances and admired her beauty — silently convinced she was way out of his league. Adding another twist to the story, Grace was the first cousin of Jaymar’s best friend, Mark Yadao. That meant, by every unwritten rule of the "Bro Code," she was strictly off limits — a rule Jaymar took seriously. Both Jaymar and Grace were active in sports, crossing paths through athletic events and eventually both playing badminton, never quite knowing the bigger game fate was setting them up for. High school came and went, and with it, their chances of a deeper connection. Grace went off to college while Jaymar stayed to finish high school. Life carried them forward — different people, different paths, different relationships. Jaymar eventually pursued a career in finance and accounting, following the path paved by his parents. Grace found her calling in healthcare, following her mother’s footsteps to become a Clinical Lab Scientist. Though their lives were full and busy, they would occasionally bump into each other — at the gym, at family parties, at friendly get-togethers. The timing was never quite right, but those moments planted seeds. In 2018, Jaymar became part of the now-legendary 5am Club at Crunch Fitness in Stockton with George Edward Moya and Matthew Biscocho. The trio would hit the gym before dawn and chronicle their journey on Instagram with the hashtag #5amclub and their rallying cry: “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere.” It didn’t matter if you worked out at 5am or not — the point was to show up and stay active. Unbeknownst to Jaymar, Grace was watching. She saw the posts, felt the energy, and was inspired. Then the world shifted — the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Grace began doing some deep soul-searching, embarking on solo travels and reconnecting with herself. Jaymar, always an adventurer at heart, spent his weekends camping, finding peace and solitude in the great outdoors. Through it all, Grace remained on Jaymar’s radar — and when the moment finally felt right, he did what he never had the courage to do before: he slid into her DMs. Many fire emojis (and a few bold double-taps) later, he asked her out. Their first official date was at Masa Sushi on October 26, 2021. Something just clicked — and this time, the timing was perfect. From hallway glances to late-night chats, solo journeys to shared dreams — it’s been a long time coming. But now, it’s their time. And the rest, as they say, is history.