Ron began working as a P.T. in 1994 at South Hills Sports Medicine Clinic. At that time, I was the Director of Operations for Health Trax. When Health Trax acquired South Hills Sports Medicine, our paths officially crossed for the first time. Ironically, we later realized we had almost met years earlier. Both of us had briefly worked for Keystone Rehab., at their Fort Couch office, yet never formally met. We share a fond memory of Rose, the secretary at Keystone Rehab. She was such a sweet person. Over the years, Ron and I developed a professional working relationship. I oversaw operations for Health Trax, and Ron worked as a Physical Therapist at one of our many locations. We stayed connected as colleagues and friends for many years. Even after Ron returned to school to earn his Doctorate degree and complete his Sports Residency, we remained in touch on and off. He occasionally filled in at some of our West Virginia locations, while life continued to move us along our own paths. Ron went on to travel the world as a Sports Physical Therapist with the USA Men’s Rugby Team and spent the remainder of the year as the Physical Therapist for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Rarely on social media, it came as a surprise when, in October 2022, he reached out to me on Facebook with a simple question about the weather, having heard bad weather was coming my way. By pure coincidence, I happened to be in Pittsburgh that very weekend. That simple message turned into something more. Ron jokingly asked if I wanted to help him hang crown molding at his house, knowing I had done a lot of remodeling in the past. I politely declined, stating "I don't do that type of work anymore", but he followed with "Let's grab a drink next time you are in town". That’s where this chapter truly began. We started communicating more regularly despite Ron’s demanding travel schedule. WhatsApp became our go-to, and even with spotty service in remote locations, our connection continued to grow. What began as friendship slowly turned into something deeper as we spent more time talking, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. Eventually, we decided to start a long-distance relationship. Ron in Pittsburgh, PA, and me in Summerville, SC. There were many flights back and forth, but it was always worth it. In a big turning point, Ron decided he was ready for a change. He stepped away from sports physical therapy due to the long hours and constant travel and began searching for opportunities in the Charleston area. During a special trip to Aruba, he received the call that he landed the job he wanted as an on-site Physical Therapist at the Google data center. Ron officially moved to SC in April 2025. In May 2025, we took a five-day cruise, with a stop in Cozumel. It's a place with deep meaning to me. We spent the day at the Allegro Cozumel, a resort filled with cherished memories of my dad, who loved vacationing there and often referenced “11:11.” As soon as we arrived, we noticed the “11:11” Photo Studio, and I instantly felt my dad’s presence. As I shared stories about him, and our special memories, butterflies fluttered around us. I even captured them on video. We were approached by a photographer and initially declined, but after enjoying the beach and running into him again, we decided to take a few photos. We realized we didn’t have many pictures together, so we agreed. That’s when Ron surprised me completely. He had been carrying the ring with him, waiting for the right moment. Surrounded by meaning, memories, and love, he knew it was time. He got down on one knee and proposed, while the photographer unknowingly captured the moment. When we chose our destination, Cozumel felt like the perfect place. One where old memories and new ones came together. We are so excited to celebrate our special day there and hope as many friends and family as possible can join us. For those who can’t, we look forward to celebrating back in Pittsburgh later this summer.