05.26.26

Ana first met David in 2014, when he traveled to Brazil as a professional skimboarder to compete in the UST “Sununga World Cup of Skimboarding", at Sununga Beach in Ubatuba, São Paulo. Ana, from neighboring Caraguatatuba, often went to the beach with her dad to watch surf competitions for fun. Their paths crossed on the sand when Ana approached him. David was flying his drone, and her father (who also owned one) asked her to translate for him. What began as a simple introduction turned into hours of talking, and by the end of the day, they had formed a genuine friendship. They exchanged Facebook/Instagram info, but in the months that followed, they kept in touch only sporadically, sending occasional messages without regular contact. Four years later, in October 2018, David noticed on Instagram that Ana was in California. He was traveling to Israel and had a two-day stop in LA for work. He reached out and picked her up in Westlake Village, where she was living as an au pair. From there, they drove to Hermosa Beach to stay at a friend’s house, where they shared their first kiss. They spent two days together before he drove her home and continued on to Israel. A little over two weeks later, he returned to LA and made sure to see her again before flying back to Hawaii the next day. During that visit, they talked about the possibility of her coming to Hawaii. By December 2018, she had booked her ticket for March 2019, setting the stage for the next chapter of their story. After her au pair year ended, Ana made a decision that changed everything: she moved to Hawaii to build a life with David. What started as visits and long-distance calls turned into sharing a home, routines, and everyday moments. For the first time, they weren’t counting down to the next goodbye. They were finally in the same place, building a life together. In 2020, Ana flew back to Brazil for the birth of her niece. The trip was meant to last two months, and David planned to join her for one. But just one week after she arrived, the pandemic brought the world to a standstill. Borders closed, flights were canceled, and everything shut down. Ana was stuck in Brazil while David remained in Hawaii, with no way of seeing each other. What was supposed to be a short visit turned into eight long months apart. They relied on FaceTime calls, late-night conversations, and unwavering commitment to maintain their bond across continents. Eight months later, David appeared at Ana’s mother’s house in Brazil as a complete surprise. After months apart, they were finally reunited. They stayed in Brazil for three months before flying back to Hawaii and have since made it a tradition to visit Brazil once a year. In 2023, David brought Ana back to Magic Island on a Friday evening – one of the places that had quietly become part of their story. On her very first visit to Hawaii, he had taken her there, and she had no idea there would be fireworks. Beneath that same sky and by the same ocean, as the Friday night fireworks burst over the water, David got down on one knee and asked Ana to marry him. Now, as they look ahead, Ana and David plan to return to where it all began – Sununga Beach. They intend to possibly hold a second wedding: a very small, intimate ceremony by the ocean that first brought them together, so Ana’s family and friends can celebrate their love. It feels only fitting to honor their journey on the same sand where a simple conversation turned into a lifelong story. What began as a chance meeting grew into a love shaped by distance, faith, and choosing each other–again and again. From Brazil to California, Hawaii to Israel, their journey was built across time zones and plane tickets, always finding their way back. Hawaii became home, but the ocean remains a reminder of where it all began. Somehow, that day in 2014 still feels like yesterday. The rest is still being written.