Our Story It was the summer of 2017—a fresh start for both of us, even if we didn’t realize it yet. Tiffany had just graduated from Rowan University with a degree in Biological Science and was ready to enjoy life after years of hard work. Around that same time, Julièn just graduated from Bucknell University with a degree in Political Science, and was focusing on his upcoming rookie NFL career . Somehow, despite living so closely to one another, we had never actually met. That changed with a few persistent social media likes from Julièn. What started as ignored Facebook notifications turned into Instagram attention that finally sparked curiosity. With a little help from mutual friends—and even a message passed along through family—an introduction was set in motion. That very same week the social media likes began, we unknowingly crossed paths outside a liquor store in Paulsboro. Julièn noticed Tiffany immediately… Tiffany, on the other hand, walked right past him without a second thought. The next morning, one message confirmed it: “Were you at the liquor store yesterday?” He had been waiting outside for her. That same day, we realized we were both heading to the same Kappa party in North Jersey—nearly two hours away. It felt like too much of a coincidence not to follow through. When Tiffany arrived, Julièn was standing off to the side under a huge fan, wearing a dark green shirt, surrounded by girls. She walked up, said a quick hello, and brushed it off. Ten minutes later, the party was shut down. As everyone was leaving, Julièn ran up to her hoping to keep the night going—but she quickly shut that idea down. Still, we discovered something unexpected: Julièn’s mom lived just minutes from Tiffany’s house. So, on the way home, we made one more stop. Saturday night turned into Sunday morning at his mom’s house, where a small group of us sat around talking. In a detail that still stands out, Julièn showed up with a bottle of Tito’s—the same one Tiffany had been grabbing at the liquor store the day before. Somehow, he had noticed. After a full day (and night), Tiffany fell asleep on the couch while her best friend Kiyah stayed up talking with everyone. By morning, she woke up, slightly embarrassed, apologized, and headed home. Later that same day, Julièn left for Texans football camp—but somehow, that wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning. From that point on, we talked every single day. Care packages were sent, and daily emails became our routine—written in the different languages we both spoke, Spanish and German, as we slowly learned each other’s worlds in a way that felt deeper than either of us expected. A few months later, Julièn flew Tiffany out for his first NFL game—no kiss yet (keeping it classy). He asked her to be his girlfriend, and she said it was too soon. The second trip changed everything. On September 11th, he asked again, promising to make the date their own—and this time, she said yes. From that moment on, everything fell into place. From his very first NFL game to his very last, Tiffany was there every step of the way. Eight years later, five states, eight homes, and two dogs later… here we are. And just in case you were wondering—Julièn said “I love you” first. And our story is just getting started.