Hello! I’ve been given the honor of telling the story of how Caroline and I met. Some of you already know it, but for those who don’t—one small decision changed everything. Back in October 2019, I was sitting on my sofa in England, planning my trip to Southeast Asia. I had three group tour options for Thailand: 9, 12, or 18 days. I originally planned to choose 18—why not see as much as possible? But for some reason, I felt drawn to the 12-day option instead. That one decision changed my life because Caroline was the group leader for that tour. On December 7, 2019, I landed in Bangkok and hopped into a taxi with another guy from the group. I messaged our tour leader on WhatsApp, and when Caroline’s profile photo popped up, I thought, She’s our leader? Nice! But beyond that first impression, we immediately connected—first as friends, but with an undeniable spark. We spent 12 incredible days exploring Thailand together; every experience felt effortless with Caroline leading the way. She was confident, adventurous, and had the ability to make everyone feel comfortable. We laughed nonstop, and by the time the tour ended, I knew I had met someone special. When the tour was over, I left for Bali, convincing myself it was ridiculous to change my plans for someone I’d only known for two weeks. But after just five days, I realized I missed her. A lot. I changed my plans and flew back to Thailand to spend Christmas with her. A few months later in March 2020, we went to Portugal, right before the world shut down. When COVID hit, we were forced apart by travel restrictions. I couldn’t enter the US from the UK, but I found a loophole—if I spent 14 days in Dubai, I could enter from there. So that’s what I did, and I spent Christmas 2020 with the Byerly family! The Byerlys welcomed me with open arms, and I quickly saw where Caroline got her warmth, kindness, and generosity. They showed me what it truly meant to make time for the people you love, and I felt at home with them immediately. By the time Thanksgiving 2022 rolled around, I was ready to make it official - I asked Mr. Byerly for permission to marry Caroline! On November 21, 2022 I proposed at sunset on the dock at their beach house—our favorite place to be. It was perfect! Soon after, reality hit. I was denied re-entry to the US for traveling too frequently on my visa. We filed for a K-1 fiancé visa, only to be told it could take over two years. It was heartbreaking. We were ready to start our future together, but instead, we were forced into a waiting game. At my lowest point, I remember lying in bed one night and breaking down. I asked God, Why is this happening to us? And almost immediately, I felt His response. I had become so focused on success, money, and preparing for our future that I had lost sight of what truly mattered. In my effort to be a provider, I had started to become selfish and disconnected from the people around me. That night, I made a promise to God that I would change. I shifted my focus back to gratitude, started volunteering, and made an effort to be more present for my friends and family. Caroline and I could have let the stress and uncertainty break us, but instead, it strengthened us. Every challenge made us more of a team, and we never stopped fighting for each other. We made the most of the waiting period—traveling to Japan, Greece, Spain, and the UK, creating memories that we wouldn’t trade for anything. Then, out of nowhere, everything changed. The embassy contacted me, asking me to send in my passport because they were issuing my visa. And now, here we are. I’m sitting at Toshi’s Café in North Carolina, writing this, just weeks away from marrying the love of my life. Caroline and I cannot wait to celebrate with all of you on May 31st. Our journey to get here hasn’t been easy, but it has been worth every moment. We know that this is just the beginning of a lifetime of adventure, love, and faith. See you all at the wedding!