The summer after Leslie graduated from Loyola, Richard and Leslie were both at Public House with mutual friends. Although they didn't know each other yet, Richard approached Leslie on the dance floor and started to rap Biggie Smalls. It was love at first rap.

Richard is an avid distance runner and after completing two Chicago Marathons, he signed up to run the 2019 Paris Marathon as an opportunity for him and Leslie to travel. In the weeks leading up to their trip, Richard made no indication that anything "special" would happen in Paris. But Leslie still suspected (and hoped) that he might pop the question while on their trip. After three grueling days of patiently waiting, Richard finally got down on one knee in front of the Eiffel Tower and asked Leslie to marry him. He also crushed Paris marathon.