Jenn: I love to tell this story to anyone making eye contact with me. One night I was bored, swiping through Hinge (dating app), and somehow I matched with this Jewish kid from Staten Island. We messaged a bit, he kept bugging me to hang out. I finally gave in, and drove all the way to Staten Island. He asked me to meet at Chili’s. I walk in, and see Mike in sweatpants with two other dudes (his groomsmen Josh and Ken) sitting at the bar watching sports. Not my type, not my borough, not my scene. What a romantic first date! He had nachos and I had a pint of beer. My feelings needless to say were neutral towards him at that time. He continued to message me every day after that, and I found myself thinking about him more and more. Somehow, this bro from Staten Island managed to become more important than the air I breath. Mike: We first spoke on Hinge a dating app, and later met at Chili’s. We just had drinks with my brother and some friends and yet we only were focused on eachother. It was a magnetic connection between us that was inseparable.

Jenn: It was Friday, last day of residency training, Michael had picked me up from the hospital to spend the weekend together. On the drive home, there was terrible traffic, so Michael was grumpy, but I was happily yapping away about residency starting and how I intubated a dummy that day. He was ignoring me as expected, yelling at drivers and groaning about the drive. We finally park at home, he gets out and walks straight to the door, leaving me to get my stuff and suitcase. I’m dragging it across the grass, Michael turns around and says, “Stop, before we go in I have to say something.” As I stood there holding my suitcase, worrying that he was going to say I use too much toilet paper or that he hates me, he says how proud of me he is and that he wants to continue being proud of me for the rest of our lives. He kneels down, trembling and sweating, and holds up the ring. I looked down at him and I knew, this man had stolen my heart. And I wanted him to have it forever. Mike: It was a week before Jenn was starting residency and we were driving back to my house from the city. I honestly couldn’t wait any longer for the right place at the right time. Soon as we got home before walking in I pulled her aside, confessed my love, went down on one knee for her hand in marriage.

I’ve grown to love her not just as my lover but my partner in crime, my confidant, and my best friend. She makes me laugh, smile, brings me joy and happiness. She is everything I’m not, and without her I’m not whole.