Matt and Alex first meet as 5th graders during the all-district orchestra concert. She was from Minnewashta, he was from Scenic Heights but for that evening they were stand partners. They didn’t know. Matt and Alex next crossed paths in 8th Grade at the back of an all-district orchestra rehearsal where Matt, Mikey and others had started a batting practice in the back with crumpled up sheet music for a ball and bows for bats. Alex must have thought to herself “who are these clowns?” She didn’t know. Matt and Alex then proceeded to be stand partners in the freshman orchestra. Alex was 5’10” as she had been since 5th grade. Matt was 5’6”, needless to say she was out of his league. They were distant friends. They didn’t know. Near the end of 10th Grade on an orchestra retreat in Los Angeles, Matt was now 5’9” and had a fighting chance, Alex began to pay a little more attention to Matt. Matt appreciated the attention. They flirted over the course of the trip. He even got her in trouble for missing curfew; we were at IHOP people nothing scandalous. When they returned from the trip the began dating shortly after. He knew. Matt and Alex dated all throughout high school until winter of senior year. They both knew they were headed to different places to school. Alex broke up with him citing that she didn’t know if she could make it through another hockey season. Jokes on her I make a living in the game now. They didn’t know. Matt and Alex always kept in touch and were close through the rest of Senior Year and into freshman year of college. They both knew but were living in different states over 700 miles away. Finally, Alex found herself in Colorado and made up an excuse to come visit Matt and promised to cook dinner. They Knew. A few days later they both talked and decided they were going to jump in two feet first. They were going to do distance. They were going to make it work. They were forever. They knew.

In December 2022, Matt asked Alex if she wanted to go on a short trip to Acadia to "look at the snow". He was acting weird so Alex thought something was up. The next morning, they got up early and drove to Acadia. When they got to Sand Beach, they had the whole beach to themselves. Matt got down on one knee and proposed!