We met during my very first week on the job. I was a brand-new patrol officer who hadn’t even gone through the police academy yet. I was in a new state, in a new city, with no idea where life was going to take me—only that I knew it wouldn’t be California anymore. So, being young and full of possibility, I did something a little bold… I threw a dart. Yes, an actual dart—at a map of the United States. And somehow, it landed on Utah. Fast forward a couple of years, and I was hired by Jayden’s police department. I was paired with him for training—he was my biggest help in becoming a police officer. Along the way, we talked about the things we loved, like how Highland cows are, without a doubt, the cutest cows. But more than that, Jayden showed me kindness in a world that, at times, felt overwhelming and terrifying. And I like to think I gave him light when his days felt darkest. He held my hand after I had to put down a deer that had been hit by a car—I’m a vegetarian—and he was there for me the first time I witnessed a young life leave this world. Somewhere along the way, we changed each other. I helped him see this job differently again—to fall back in love with serving others. This career is not for the faint of heart, but together, we’ve been able to make a difference, one life at a time. And if I had to choose this life all over again, I would choose it—every single time—because it led me to him. We can’t wait to celebrate this beautiful life with you all on June 26, 2026.