Hunter + Crystal knew of each other during their middle and high school years as they both attended school in the DeForest school district. However, Hunter + Crystal didn’t truly get to know one another until many, many years later when Hunter sparked up a conversation with Crystal via text and asked to see her. One February evening in 2020, Hunter + Crystal spent a few hours hanging out at Crystal’s apartment. With 90’s country music lightly playing in the background, they talked for several hours, reminiscing on their younger years and learning more about one another. Hunter learned how much Crystal loved her dogs, Peanut and Wyatt, by watching her cuddle and play with them that evening. Although Hunter questioned if Crystal had any love left in her heart for anyone but her dogs, he knew he had to see her again. They spent several days together over the next couple of weeks. Then, COVID showed its face. Crystal used the excuse of keeping their parents safe by asking Hunter to quarantine with her for two weeks. (Little did they know, a pandemic would occur and Hunter would never leave.) It was then they knew a relationship was inevitable! A few days later, Hunter asked Crystal if they could be a family of four and she gladly accepted. They’ve been inseparable ever since!

On my 32nd birthday, Crystal surprised me by taking me skydiving and jumping with me! It was then I knew I had to plan an epic engagement. Between attending EAA with my bestman, Piggy, and skydiving, Crystal and I grew a passion for airplanes. Because she gave me a flight I would never forget, I wanted to give her one that she would always remember. After a few phone calls, I was able to set up a 45 minute scenic flight out of Madison for us on September 19, 2023 at 5pm. After many anxious nights of waiting, the day was finally here. The first thing I did after waking up was check the weather. Instantly, I got a lump in my stomach as the forecast called for clouds and rain. I could not wait any longer, so I said a couple prayers. At 2pm, the pilot called and advised the skies were clearing and our flight was on! Now that everything was a go, I decided I should probably figure out what I wanted to say. Leading up to the day, so many amazing memories and moments ran through my head. Most people know, when I talk about something I am passionate about, I tend to ramble, so I decided I wanted to write down these great memories and give them to Crystal in case I forgot to mention one of them. At the time, we were working from home and I knew I would ruin the surprise if Crystal caught me writing, so I told Crystal I had to inspect a bridge for work near our house. Afterall, this bridge was where I went to test fly a drone with Crystal and had a not so good memory, but that is for another time. After about 10 minutes of writing, a Columbia County Sheriff showed up to perform a wellness check on me. I told him all is well now, but we will see how it goes in about 2 hours. That led to some further explanation, but in the end, he wished me the best of luck and to enjoy the moment. Upon returning home, I finished up a couple things for work to legitimize the inspection. After finishing work for the day, it was time to head to the airport. When we checked in at the airport, everything started to get real. I did my best to curb my excitement, but I think Crystal started catching on. At 5:09pm, we boarded the plane and down runway 18 we went. The flight started out with a scenic trip around the Madison lakes, Camp Randall, and the Capitol. Now that the pilot completed the required destinations, it was time for passenger requests. The pilot and I had talked earlier in the day and I told him I would love to fly around DeForest because Crystal and I both grew up and went to school together there. Thankfully, the pilot was able to get clearance from air traffic control to fly around the area, even though it is the main flight path. After flying over our parents’ houses, our schools, and a bunch of corn fields, it was time to head back to the airport for landing on runway 36. During the landing, a lot of communication happened between the pilot and the tower, which allowed me some time to be quiet and collect my thoughts before it was go-time. The pilot strategically taxied the plane so that he could park in front of a historic hangar, knowing what was about to happen. Once we got out of the plane, I handed my phone to the pilot to take pictures of Crystal and I. Little did she know, he was taking video, and our lives were about to change forever. I grabbed her hands, and the rambling began. I wish I could tell you everything I said, but I think I blacked out. After what seemed like 10 minutes of rambling, I fumbled to get the box out of my pocket and got down on one knee. Guys, just so you know, it isn’t a requirement to keep the ring in the box, but that’s how they do it on the Bachelor so that’s what I did. Thankfully, she said yes and didn’t send me packing down the runway. I then gave her the handwritten letter and a custom aircraft keychain before heading off to dinner at Red Lobster. A day that started off with rain and overcast skies turned into a breath-taking evening with partly cloudy skies and smiles as far as the eye could see.