Shirleen and Luis met through a postgraduate program at SF State while working toward gaining acceptance to the right dental school. Shirleen was preparing to take the Dental Admittance Test (DAT) and Luis was working on getting his dental school application together, having taken the DAT a few months prior. Luis began tutoring Shirleen in the different subjects that encompassed the DAT, specifically chemistry. They bonded over the hours studying together and remained friends for years. After reconnecting at University of the Pacific, several dates and much convincing from Luis, Shirleen agreed to begin a relationship. They have been pretty much inseparable since.

Luis asked one of his best friends from college, Lance, to accompany him in purchasing a ring for Shirleen. Buying the ring, Luis decided it was time to ask Shirleen to be his wife, realizing much before that he had found the love of his life. Shortly after, Shirleen and Luis went to a nice dinner in San Francisco while Shirleen wondered why Luis kept looking at his phone and checking the time. She did not know that Lance was decorating Luis' apartment for the proposal. Once they returned from dinner, with candles and flowers filling the kitchen and living room, Luis asked Shirleen for her hand in marriage. She said yes.