Amanda and Clayton first met as undergraduates at Georgia Tech, where they both served as orientation leaders. Though they weren’t close at the time, their paths briefly crossed before life led them in different directions. After graduation, Amanda moved to Washington, DC, to begin her career, while Clayton set off on the Appalachian Trail. In the spring of 2015, their paths crossed again when Clayton passed through DC on his hike. They spent a fun few days exploring the city together, but once again, it was a short-lived moment—Clayton returned to the trail, and Amanda continued her work in DC. In the years that followed, Clayton completed his thru-hike, graduated from medical school, and began his general surgery training in Atlanta. Then, in late summer 2020, as he prepared to start his orthopedic surgery residency in Pittsburgh, he sent Amanda a message on Instagram. That one message turned into a series of conversations, and eventually, an invitation to visit Pittsburgh. By spring 2021, Amanda had returned to Georgia in preparation for starting her MBA, and with some free time, decided to make the trip. That visit sparked something special. Over the next few years, Amanda and Clayton built a relationship across cities and states—filled with flights, phone calls, and FaceTime calls. In December 2024, Clayton proposed on a cold afternoon at Washington’s Landing in Pittsburgh—the very spot he had taken Amanda during her first visit to see him. They’re now excited to start their next chapter together—not long-distance this time, but side by side.