They say college is where you find yourself — for Travis and Kaleigh, it’s also where they found each other. Thanks to a mutual connection (Kaleigh’s friend and Travis’s roommate, who were dating at the time), Travis and Kaleigh ended up in the same study group at Central Michigan University. They spent months in the same room without ever really acknowledging each other. Then, one September afternoon in 2019, everything changed. Kaleigh was studying in the hallway of CMU’s Dow Science Building when she saw Travis walk by — tall, brown-haired, and handsome. She had never believed in love at first sight, but the way her heart dropped in that moment changed her mind. Naturally, Kaleigh confessed her new crush to her friend — who wasted no time sharing the information with Travis. And so, “Operation: Travis + Kaleigh” began. Soon, the two began “coincidentally” running into each other more: at the gym, Applebee’s, in the study room, and even at his house. On October 6th, 2019, Travis followed Kaleigh on Instagram — the modern form of courtship. A few days later, Kaleigh tried making the first move with Travis at a CMU tailgate, but he was playing hard to get. Then came Halloween — the night that changed everything. Dressed as a vampire, Kaleigh went out with hopes of seeing Travis. She ended up at the same bar as him, the Blackstone (which her friend may or may not have “accidentally” mentioned he’d be at). In true confident fashion — and with the help of liquid courage — she tapped him on the shoulder and casually asked where her friend was, just to have an excuse to talk to him. She walked away feeling smitten from their brief conversation. But fate wasn’t done. As she was leaving the bar that night, a hand spun her around — it was Travis. He realized he couldn’t let her get away. From that night forward, they were inseparable.
Their first official date came a few weeks later over sushi on New Year’s Eve. They celebrated their first New Year’s together with Travis’s brother, sister-in-law, and friends. On that New Year’s Day, Kaleigh – with her hair in a bun, wearing sweats, and recovering from the night before – got a surprise first introduction to Travis’s parents. Luckily, she still managed to win them over. Their first of many trips together was to Grand Haven, MI, in January of 2020. They spent the weekend at the Winterfest festival, where it was Travis’s turn to meet Kaleigh’s parents. Rumor has it, he made a good impression. On Valentine’s Day 2020, Travis officially asked Kaleigh to be his girlfriend — cliché, but effective. Not long after, they took their first big vacation together to Fort Lauderdale — one of their more unforgettable trips. The night before their flight home, Travis was pickpocketed, leaving him without a phone, debit card, or ID. Kaleigh saved the trip with her fat wallet, and somewhere between problem-solving and palm trees, they exchanged “I love you” for the first time. The next day, everyone on the plane home was wearing masks and frantically wiping things down. Little did they know, this marked the beginning of the COVID pandemic — and life was about to change. When everything shut down, Kaleigh feared being apart from her new love during such unprecedented times, so she invited herself to quarantine with Travis and his family in Midland — a bold move only a few months into dating. Travis graduated from CMU that spring and began his career at Consumers Energy. Kaleigh finished her undergraduate studies the following fall. With Kaleigh back home in Wyandotte — two and a half hours away from Travis — and the pandemic still in full swing, they spent months making the most of a long-distance relationship. In August of 2021, Kaleigh’s heart had had enough. She packed up her red 2012 Fusion (RIP Ruby boobie) and headed north to Midland. In May of 2022, they bought their first home together. That October, Kaleigh was accepted into the Physician Assistant program at CMU — a new chapter that would challenge and strengthen their partnership. Throughout PA school, Travis supported Kaleigh every step of the way — through late study nights, clinical rotations, and endless exams. He knew what must be done if he was ever going to achieve his dream of being a stay-at-home-husband. Kaleigh returned the favor by supporting Travis through studying and receiving his Professional Engineer license. “What a power couple”, you might think — and you’d be right. Because their life wasn’t quite busy enough, they spontaneously decided to add a puppy into the mix. On February 27th, 2025, Willett came home — and they quickly realized they had no idea what they were in for. Surviving the puppy phase remains one of their greatest relationship victories. Willett has since grown into the best dog they could ask for, and the three of them have become one happy family. In the summer of 2025, Kaleigh graduated from PA school and is now a licensed Physician Assistant. She’s excited to start her career — and Travis’s bank account is equally excited.
On June 28th, 2024, Travis proposed to Kaleigh at Mission Point in Traverse City. It was a beautiful, fairytale moment. To make it even more special, he had planned for his brother and sister-in-law, and Kaleigh’s best friend and her husband, to celebrate with them in TC. It was the perfect weekend celebrating their love. A few months later, while visiting Petoskey, they toured Gypsy Distillery — mostly on a whim — and instantly knew it was the place. When you know, you know. They can’t wait to celebrate there with all their family and friends who’ve been part of their story along the way. Together, they’ve built a life filled with love, laughter, and teamwork. As they prepare not only for their wedding but for a lifetime together, they’re most excited for one thing — this is only the beginning.