It was the second day of spring semester of our freshman year at Michigan Tech, and Abbie randomly decided to take the open seat next to Jake in Global Issues. As Jake was frantically taking notes during class (which may be a surprise to some), this quickly caught the attention of Abbie.

The following weekend, Jake and Abbie were introduced at a party (shoutout to KD’s) and this is where their story unfolded. As the spring semester continued, one of us needed a little extra help with Global Issues...Abbie then invited Jake to join her study group, which is when they became close friends. The semester ended and both Jake and Abbie went their separate ways for the summer.

After summer break, unknowingly, Jake and Abbie found themselves again at the same party (yes KD’s, surprise surprise). It was truly like no time had passed since they last saw each other. After a few months into the fall semester, the two decided to take the next step in their relationship and they haven’t looked back since. They made their relationship official to their family and friends in June 2017. This was only after Abbie made her teammates do a thorough background check on Jake, which he clearly passed (thanks Brenna Heise).

The two were inseparable and were each other’s biggest fans. When Jake wasn’t on the ice, he was cheering Abbie on during her basketball games, and Abbie was doing the same for him. During their final years at Michigan Tech, they enjoyed beers at the KBC with friends, swimming in the canal, lots of late night Jimmy John’s, hikes in the Keweenaw, countless hours on the third floor of the library, partying at the Club, and so many more memories in between.

Jake left to pursue his professional hockey career in 2019 and Abbie stayed to finish her fifth year at Michigan Tech. This not only began their long distance relationship, but also started their North American tour. While Jake was making stops in Pennsylvania, Quebec, and Ontario, Abbie was pursuing her physician assistant (PA) degree. Due to COVID-19 closing the border and their busy schedules, this tested Jake and Abbie’s relationship tremendously. However, due to their strong foundation, they found a way to persevere and still continued to grow as a couple despite the distance.

Abbie finished her PA degree in May 2022, and began work a few months later in Madison, WI. Jake returned to Ontario for his hockey season, and they again found themselves doing long distance. However, their years of distance finally paid off when Jake fulfilled a lifelong dream of playing in the NHL (go Sens!).

When Jake returned back to Madison this spring after his hockey season, he had a little extra baggage. On May 16, 2023, Jake dropped to one knee and proposed to Abbie on their way to a picnic in the park. It was absolutely perfect and an excellent start to their summer together.

We could not be happier and more excited to begin the rest of our lives together. We look forward to having you all celebrate our big day with us. July 2024 can’t come soon enough!