Brendan and Emily met in September 2017 on the first day of school, when a drawing of names from a hat landed them seated next to each other. What started as chance quickly turned into something more, and they officially began dating on October 31, 2017. The following fall, Emily headed to Michigan State while Brendan completed his senior year. Emily continued her journey at MSU as Brendan spent two years in Alaska playing hockey before eventually joining her there. Emily went on to earn her Master of Social Work, while Brendan completed his degree in Computer Science. In December 2024, Brendan and Emily took their next big step, moving into their first condo together.