It all started just before the world changed. Shawn was living and working in Stamford, Connecticut, while Jinali was in her hometown of Piscataway, New Jersey. On March 1, 2020, fate (or Hinge) brought them together for a first date at Dave & Buster’s, a lighthearted outing that would unexpectedly become the start of something special. Shawn may have dominated most of the games that night, but he was sweet enough to let Jinali win at basketball and the shooting games (or so he claims). Afterward, they grabbed dinner, and as if the universe wanted to keep the night going, they ended up on a long FaceTime call during Shawn’s drive back to Stamford. The conversation flowed effortlessly, full of curiosity, laughter, and a sense that something was clicking. Then the world shut down. With the rise of remote work, Shawn decided to move back to his hometown and as luck would have it, Jinali lived just five streets away. One evening, with nothing else to do, Shawn invited himself to join her at the park for a workout. That one casual hangout turned into daily walks, weekly workouts, and a connection that grew stronger with each passing day. Before they could hop on a plane, they hit the road, taking local trips to Lake George and Acadia National Park. Once restrictions lifted, their adventures expanded to places like Hawaii, California, Utah, and Arizona. Their shared love for travel has only grown since then. In recent years, they’ve explored Italy, Switzerland, Iceland, Guatemala, Saint Lucia, and France, where Shawn proposed! About a year into their relationship, they decided to grow their little family and adopted a 10 week-old puppy named Shadow. At first, Jinali was nervous to bring him home, knowing her mom wasn’t exactly a fan of having pets in the house. So Shawn took the lead and introduced Shadow to his family first, saying he had adopted him himself. It didn’t take long for both families to fall completely in love, Shadow’s sweet nature, happy energy, and adorable face won everyone over. His name turned out to be perfect: he’s been following them around like their little shadow ever since. What began as a chance meeting, just before the world turned upside down, grew into a love that feels like home. And now, they’re ready to begin their next chapter together.