Finally!

If you know Mckayla or Justin, you know lifting and fitness are basically their love languages. Back in 2019, Justin was working as the Strength & Conditioning Coach at Savannah State University. His football team trained at the same weightlifting gym where Mckayla would come in — always after their sessions, because let's be honest, no one wants to lift with 50 guys stinking up the place (lol). Justin, being the creature of habit that he is, would lift around the same time almost every day... conveniently close by. After a few months of gym sighting and few words exchanged, fate — and a downtown bar — finally intervened over the 4th of July weekend. Justin was out with his parents, Jana and Mark, and his cousin, Aaron. Mckayla was with her friend Jordan (who she met at Barnes & Noble years earlier). When Mckayla and Justin spotted each other across the bar, both immediately told their group, "Hey, that's the person from the gym!" There was just one small misunderstanding: Justin thought Mckayla was there with her boyfriend (spoiler alert: Jordan was definitely NOT her boyfriend — iykyk). His cousin even offered to "handle him" if needed haha. Fast forward two months, Mckayla casually asked Justin if he wanted to come watch her compete in a weightlifting meet that weekend — fully expecting he wouldn’t actually show. Plot twist: as she was warming up, her coach told her to turn around... and there was Justin, standing right behind her. (Points for showing up.) That day, Mckayla went 4-for-6 and snagged first place in her weight class. Later, she sent Justin a thank-you message on Instagram — because yes, she was the one who slid into the DMs. No shame. Long story short: gym acquaintances turned bar buddies turned Instagram DMs turned fiancés. Mckayla and Justin are getting married!