Haley grew up and graduated from Madison Public High School in Madison, NE in 2015. Mark wasn't far, growing up in Norfolk, NE, and graduating from Norfolk Public High School that same year. Following graduation, Haley and Mark both attended Northeast Community College (NECC) in Norfolk, NE. Mark obtained his electromechanical degree and completed the utility line technician program, while Haley completed her Associates Degree in Nursing to begin her career as Registered Nurse. Despite growing up just 15 minutes apart and attending the same college, Mark and Haley still had never met. After finishing college, both Mark and Haley decided to move to Lincoln to start their careers. Haley accepted a job working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at St. Elizabeth Hospital in July of 2020. Much to her surprise, her nursing school friend (and Mark's brother), Jake, had also accepted a job working as a nurse on the same unit. Mark began his career in Lincoln just one year earlier, doing maintenance work at Kawasaki in Lincoln. Later, Mark left Kawasaki and accepted a position working as a substation technician for Nebraska Public Power District where he still works today. Haley now works as a Vascular Access Nurse at Bryan Health in Lincoln.

Haley and Mark both moved to Lincoln shortly before the peak of the COVID pandemic. For Mark, this was an inconvenience, but for those in healthcare, it was a nightmare. Colleagues in healthcare quickly became family. Of the many friendships that developed during her time working in the ICU, two were particularly important to Mark and Haley's story, Mark's brother (Jake), and his now wife (Anahi). Haley and Anahi became very close friends, both at work, and outside of work. Eventually, Anahi and Jake became a couple, and Haley quickly became their favorite third wheel. They graciously invited Haley to tag along on many of their dates and adventures. They both had made mentions of Mark to Haley, and of Haley to Mark. Confident that they would make a great match, they tried for some time to set the two up together. Finally, in Spring of 2022, they succeeded in their matchmaking efforts. Haley and Mark first crossed paths at Anahi's house in March of 2022. Haley was, in Mark's words, "quiet and weird." Mark being Mark, attempted to break the ice with her that night by eating a scorpion from the bottom of a bottle of tequila. Haley was mostly disgusted, but agrees it is a memory she will never forget. In early April of 2022, Jake and Anahi embarked on their travel nursing journey together. Haley and Mark were then left to their own devices in Lincoln. One evening, Mark offered to pick Haley up and go for a drive around town. Haley reluctantly agreed, and Mark drove to Haley's apartment to pick her up. After driving all around Lincoln and talking until almost 2 am (knowing they both had to work in a few hours), they were forced to call it a night. Mark returned Haley home, and from that point on their relationship continued to blossom. On May 7th of 2022, Mark asked Haley to be his girlfriend. In Early December 2024, Mark and Haley traveled to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, where Mark asked Haley to marry him on December 3rd. They now live together (along with their kitty Bella) at their home in Lincoln, and are so excited for this next chapter together.