Leah and Cole matched on Bumble just a few weeks before Leah’s 21st birthday. Cole’s opening line wasn’t a simple hello—it was a question of great importance: “Does pineapple belong on pizza?” Leah’s answer was an enthusiastic yes. Fortunately, it wasn’t a deal breaker for Cole. By the time her birthday rolled around, Leah was already completely taken with him. Even though they hadn’t met in person yet, she had no interest in dancing with anyone else that night. Cole already had her attention. Their first official date came a few days later, on July 3rd—dinner and a movie, simple but unforgettable. Not long after, Cole headed home to Oregon for the summer. Despite the distance, he convinced Leah that what they had was worth holding onto. Neither of them could have predicted just how much distance would define their relationship. When COVID hit, their worlds shifted overnight. Though their colleges were only about an hour apart, seeing each other meant passing snacks through the Academy gates and making the most of brief, carefully distanced moments. Their relationship grew through it all—long months apart, milestones, graduations, and the uncertainty of changing times. But with every challenge, they came out stronger and more certain of each other. Today, Leah and Cole share a home together in Jacksonville, Florida—a place built not just on love, but on patience, resilience, and pineapple on pizza.