July 29th, 2004 How did they meet? Online dating, of course! Well, a different type of online dating… It began when Ted’s friend introduced him to Jackie via AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) when together for a sleepover in the 6th grade. Jackie and Ted were classmates at Robert E. Bell Middle School, however, they had never officially been introduced. Jackie, as Booboogal22, and Ted, as Troy051492, messaged for hours that night. Little did they know, 16 years later, they would prove to be some of the first pioneers of “online dating.” Their friendship continued through to high school at Horace Greeley, and they began to grow closer and closer. They started talking more online, hanging out after school, and on the weekends. Ted would even ride his bike across town to see Jackie for a simple hug and “hello.” On May 17th, 2008, the high school senior class was hosting a spring carnival at Robert E. Bell Middle School. Ted found Jackie in the crowd with her friends, and also located a dunk tank nearby. Ted volunteered himself to be a dunker and a dunkee… (Not that he was trying to get her attention or anything). As the festivities began to wind down, they sat together on the hill in front of the school. After what felt like an awkwardly long amount of time, Ted broke the nervous silence and in true high school fashion, asked, “Do you want to be my girlfriend?” 10 anniversaries later, Ted asked Jackie another very important question…

June 16th, 2018 Ted designed an engagement ring with his mother and grandmother in Annapolis, MD, had asked Jackie’s father for her hand in marriage, and was just waiting for the most opportune moment to ask the next and biggest question of their relationship. He had collected his thoughts and tried to act cool so as to avoid any suspicion. It did not go as planned… It was a relaxing, sunny Saturday in June in their home town of Torrington, CT, when Ted suggested they go kayaking at the local Burr Pond State Park. Once on the water and enjoying their paddle, Ted secretly scouted out a small island on the far end and suggested they beach their kayaks to get out and enjoy the scenery. As they sat on a rock overlooking the water, Ted began to express his feelings and vision for their future. At that point Jackie knew what was happening. With tears in her eyes, she interrupted the words that Ted had prepared, and so began the most emotional game of 20-questions that either of them had ever played. These questions, however, included ones as simple as, “Does your family know?” and “Did you ask my dad?” Once Ted patiently answered each question, he pulled out a ring box from his lifejacket, got down on one knee, and asked Jackie to spend the rest of her life with him. Jackie [OF COURSE] said, “yes!” and spent the whole paddle back with her ring finger pointed up to protect her ring, and of course to stare at it glistening in the sun, thinking of all that it represented.