A Love Story

Dani and Nathan (that’s “Nate” to Dani) lived exactly three blocks apart for three years in New York. They rode the same subway, ran around the same reservoir, and even purchased overpriced groceries at the same Fairway for three. full. years. But Dani and Nate didn’t meet in New York, didn’t cross paths on a dating app. Dani and Nate met because of Jack and Kaitlyn. What feels like yesterday and a lifetime ago, Dani had Jack, and Nate had Kaitlyn. They each had a year together that was so full of love, it seemed to add new colors to the world. Then, Dani and Nate had to learn what it meant to love, and lose, and keep living. Dani started posting on this silly little app things that she felt so few could understand: fears about moving on, pride in growing stronger, and everything she could to keep Jack present in her life. Turns out, someone else understood exactly how that felt. And the universe intervened (though Dani and Nate prefer to say Jack and Kaitlyn thought they’d get together and give them a little present) and they finally crossed paths, right there in the TikTok DMs. March 23, 2021 “Hey! I just wanted to send you some love and tell you that I think your page is awesome….would love to chat sometime but if not that’s cool too. Either way just know you’re at least making a difference in my grief journey. <3 <3 <3 Nathan” “Thank you so much for saying all this. I post in part because it helps me get through it, and in in part because I hope it helps someone else feel less lonely…Sounds like we’re on similar journeys. Let’s be friends <3 <3 <3 ~Dani” Within a week, they started FaceTiming for hours, joking through horror movies, and talking about everything great and small. It was eerie how similar they were, with only two exceptions. But Dani learned to love basketball and Nate learned that Taylor Swift is the greatest songwriter of our generation. A well-timed flight to visit Dani’s newly pregnant sister (shoutout to baby Javi for the hookup) meant the two would meet in person. And to quote Dani to her sister hours before they finally met: “I’m either going to think he smells weird and it’s over, or we’re getting married. There’s no in between.” They married in a private ceremony in May 2023, officiated by Dani’s sister and attended by 20 of their closest family and friends, and a few special angels who are likely quite proud of themselves today.