We first crossed paths as teammates on MSOE's track team, but it wasn’t until one special outdoor meet that everything truly began. Michael was gearing up for the grueling 10k, while Sabryn was nervously preparing for her first-ever steeplechase. Our races were back-to-back, and in those brief moments between the finish line and the starting gun, we struck up conversation. What started as small talk quickly turned into something more. We spent the rest of the meet together—sharing stories, cheering on our teammates, and realizing that being together just felt right.

After that track meet, we kept talking—messages turning into long conversations, and long conversations turning into plans to see each other outside of practice and study nights. One Friday night, after a tough workout, we decided to make pizza from scratch and watch a movie. It was a laid-back evening, spent cooking together and enjoying a quiet night in. After the pizza was gone and the movie ended, Michael asked Sabryn to be his girlfriend. The answer, of course, was an easy yes.

In the fall, Michael planned a special trip to Door County, for the two of us. The evening began with a peaceful hike to the beach for a picnic dinner at sunset. Afterward, we decided to hike the lakeshore, hoping to get a special look at the stars. We ended up getting lost, but found our way back, enjoying the adventure together. After a four mile hike, we took the opportunity to relax on a bench and stargaze with some hot apple cider. In Sabryn's eyes, Michael had planned and executed the perfect date, but to Michael the night wasn't over. After a couple moments, Michael stood up, took off Sabryn’s glove (much to her displeasure since her hands were freezing!), and knelt down. Sabryn rolled her eyes, thinking it was just another part of Michael’s ongoing engagement joke. But when he pulled out the ring box, everything changed. After a couple of seconds in shocked silence, Sabryn said yes, under the pitch-black sky, with the stars above and Lake Michigan beside.