On January 31, 2020, Lauren flew to Fort Lauderdale to visit her best friend Samantha, who was attending Nova University. That night, Samantha brought Lauren along to meet her college friends at The Wharf—where Lauren and Pedro had their very first interaction. They quickly bonded over their shared passion for public service: Lauren as a dispatcher and EMT with her local fire department, and Pedro proudly sharing stories from his work as a deputy sheriff. Two months later, Lauren flew back to visit Pedro, this time joined by her two best friends, Samantha and Sabrina. It was already clear that this was going to be something special—until COVID hit. Distance quickly became the norm, and it took three long months before they were able to see each other again. Despite the uncertainty, countless FaceTime calls, and time apart, their relationship only grew stronger over the next five years. After numerous trips back and forth, more than 100 flights, and many long travel days, Lauren finally made the move to Florida—turning all those miles into a place they could call home together. On September 28, 2025, Pedro got down on one knee and asked Lauren to marry him, beginning their next chapter side by side.