The Wedding of

Mike and Torria met when they were both attending Missouri State's Physician Assistant program in Springfield, Missouri. What initially started with being in the same study group, studying for hours in a location that typically included coffee, food, and whiteboards led to lifelong friendships among group members. There were a few moments of fun allowed in between exams which included movie nights, corn mazes, carnivals, karaoke, and piano bars.  After graduation, Mike started working in the adult ICU at St. Luke's in Kansas City, and Torria (going against every instinct she had as a KU fan) accepted a job at MU as a Pediatric Surgery PA. Eventually, she moved back home to Kansas City to be closer to family and found her way to the University of Kansas, where she joined the NICU team.  Mike and Torria connect not only over their jobs and passion to help people, but also through trying new food, traveling, and living an active lifestyle. Torria appreciates that while Mike works very hard (between his job and military obligations) he also takes time to experience the joy in life. Their favorite adventure so far was to Belize with Mike's daughter, Leilani. There they snorkeled with nurse sharks, Manta rays, and colorful fish, climbed Mayan ruins, and went cave tubing to witness the most amazing scenery. This past Febuary, after a romantic dinner at the Bellagio in Las Vegas by the fountains as Frank Sinatra sang "Fly Me to the Moon" Mike asked Torria to marry him and she happily said yes! They are so looking forward to their next adventure and can't wait for what lies ahead.