Erika and Sean met the summer of 2016, while working at the Buehler YMCA in Palatine. They were both youth camp counselors earning some extra money to take back to college in the fall. Sean asked Erika to go miniature golfing after work one day and that's where they realized they both had a love for golf. Before heading back to their respective colleges, Sean to St. Norbert as a senior, and Erika a junior at Carthage, they decided to make it official! They spent the next 2 years visiting each other and growing as a couple. They worked one more summer together at the YMCA where Sean was then Erika's boss.

After many years of Erika watching Sean coach both basketball and football, of them cheering on the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Blackhawks, and them both getting good jobs and settling in, came the summer of 2023. Enjoying the sunny days together, they would often drive by Makray Golf Course and talk about booking a tee time there. On one such day, Sean told Erika, that he was golfing with her brother, Jeffrey, and another friend Kyle on 7/3, but didn’t ask her if she wanted to join them. A few weeks passed and the day before they were supposed to golf, Sean finally invited Erika, stating they needed a 4th player. She of course said yes. So on July 3rd, after a competitive 4.5-hour round, they finally made it to the 18th hole where their game of "wolf" was at stake. Erika was fighting for the win not realizing Jeffrey and Kyle had both quietly moved off the green. She picked her ball up to re-putt, took her shot, and was mad that she missed once again. When she turned around, Sean was there on one knee, open ring box in hand. Overjoyed Erika said, “Yes”. After a short hug and kiss, rumor has it that she was so excited, she forgot to take off her golfing glove to put on the ring! Once they turned around, Erika saw that Sean had arranged for both families and a few closest friends to be at the course patio waiting and cheering them on. It was a wonderful day and the start of their official journey together.