We met on Tinder. Pierce was in Milwaukee for his brother Alex’s basketball tournament. Ryan was attending the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and not quite out of the closet yet. “Rated 10/10 by most moms.” read Ryan’s bio. We matched and Pierce reached out saying “I love a guy with mom appeal”. From there we began a few weeks of getting to know each other virtually, Pierce on his way back to North Dakota and Ryan during a lull at work when he bartended. We made plans to meet half way in Minneapolis for a date WEEKEND. 3 days together regardless of how the first few moments went. You could say we were all in. That weekend obviously went great, we explored the Como Zoo, found our spirit animals; Pierce an otter and Ryan a giraffe, or elephant, he still can’t decide; enjoyed some Vietnamese food and got to know each-other a little better. This is really where our journey as a couple began. Long distance, a pandemic, a month long camping trip in the mountains, living in a new city together, our relationship has been pressure tested and we’re stronger because of each hurdle that’s been thrown our way. We’re excited for this next chapter and to continue to grow, together.