John and Katie first met during their junior year at Clemson University. Although they lived in the same apartment complex—just across the street from each other—they didn’t cross paths until one morning in September. Katie came outside to find she had a flat tire and clearly wasn’t sure what to do. John, who happened to be outside at the time, noticed and offered to help. He changed her tire, they struck up a conversation, and they started talking regularly soon after. As it turned out, they had a lot in common. Both were engineering majors, and they quickly bonded over study sessions and countless hours in the library. Still, they made time for fun—tailgates, football games, sorority and fraternity events, and everything else that made college life memorable. They officially began dating in December 2020 and have been making memories ever since. Together, they’ve visited six national parks and traveled to the UK, France, and Italy. They love trying new coffee shops and restaurants, taking beach trips with family, and, of course, attending as many Clemson footballl games as they can. In December 2022, John completed his Master’s degree in Civil Engineering and moved to Charlotte, NC, for work. Katie finished her Master’s in Biomedical Engineering the following May and accepted her first post-grad job in Raleigh. The two spent the next two years navigating long-distance, making the most of weekend visits and planned getaways. In January 2025, Katie took a new job and moved to Charlotte, bringing them back to the same city. On April 27th, 2025, during a trip to Yosemite National Park, John proposed. They started the day with a snowy drive into the park and set out on a 10-mile hike up the Upper Yosemite Falls trail. Despite the snow and rain, they loved every minute. When the skies cleared, John proposed on a quiet stretch of the trail. The rest of the day was spent exploring Yosemite—and enjoying the start of this next chapter together.