It was the Saturday before the couple's junior year began, meaning Hanover students were out and about catching up with friends after the summer. Gunnar was working security at his house and Kylie was out with her girl friends. Their mutual friends, Jake and Gaby, had decided they needed to meet that night. Jake and Gaby pretty much sat the couple on a couch together and left them to chat. Sure enough the chatting went well. Kylie and Gunnar spent that first week of school messaging and texting. Boneyard Grill in Madison, IN, was the chosen location for their first date that following Friday. The couple was so nervous, they barely ate the flatbread pizza they ordered.

The couple met at Hanover College and both graduated in May of 2017. Gunnar studied History and Secondary Education and Kylie studied Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology. He is from Spencer, IN, which is near Bloomington and she is from West Lafayette, IN. Naturally, Kylie was raised to like black and gold while Gunnar bleeds cream and crimson and now orange for his new school. Over this past year, Gunnar taught 8th grade Social Studies at Central Signature Academy, which is a project-based learning program at Central Middle School in Columbus, IN. In the fall, Gunnar was the head 7th grade football coach at the middle school and was an assistant coach for Columbus East High School football. In November, the Columbus East Olympian football team won their state game. Gunnar now likes to show off his fancy new state ring. Gunnar has kept busy this spring as well with Columbus High School Men's Golf. Gunnar recently accepted a teaching and coaching job at Whiteland High School. He is looking forward to the switch from teaching middle schoolers to teaching high schoolers. He will continue to coach football and will start coaching baseball in the fall. Kylie just wrapped up her year as medical scribe at IU Arnett Hospital in Lafayette, IN. Her job included documenting for ER and Hospitalist physicians. Kylie had spent the year applying to medical schools and recently found out she was accepted at Marian University - College of Osteopathic Medicine. On her visit, Kylie felt Marian had a very similar "small school" feel that drew her originally to Hanover College. She is thrilled to be starting school again in the fall and that she is on her way to becoming a physician. New, exciting beginnings are happening for both Kylie and Gunnar, as well as finding a place to live. The couple found a place in Barton Farms on the south side of Greenwood, IN. This location is very close to Gunnar's new high school, but also a relatively short drive up 65 for Kylie.

We went golfing at Otter Creek in Columbus, IN. A group of four was ahead of us on the course and they let us play ahead. Then a single player was behind us, we asked if he wanted to play through but he suggested playing as a group of 3. We ended up playing most of the 9 holes with him. On the 8th green, he said he got a text from his wife and had to leave early. Little did Kylie know that Gunnar had told the other player early on in the round that his plan was to propose that day and the text from his wife was made up. We later got to the 9th green and Kylie was a long putt away from getting a par on that hole. Gunnar's plan was to kneel behind Kylie after she made the putt. However, Kylie was not putting well at all and kept missing the hole. Gunnar was standing behind her after every shot. She thought he was getting impatient and finally just picked up her ball to move on to the West 9. She turned around to see if Gunnar was going to finish putting his ball, but he was on one knee by the flag. He said something along the lines of "even though you didn't get a par, I want to keep getting pars with you. Will you marry me?" Kylie of course said yes! In the woods nearby, was Gunnar's friend, Wesley, who caught the proposal on camera. Picture below!