Their story began in May 2019 when Gabe sent Addison a message on Instagram with a simple “howdy.” From that moment, they were inseparable. At the time, Gabe was in the Marines stationed in California, while Addison was in Kirksville for school. Their first date was on December 23, 2019, when Gabe came home on leave, and they were both back in Lee’s Summit.

They didn’t officially start dating until the following year because Gabe couldn’t take leave during 2020 due to COVID. Despite the distance, they fell in love. Gabe asked Addison to be his girlfriend on December 20, 2020, and they said “I love you” for the first time that day.

They continued their long-distance relationship for the next year and a half until Gabe left the Marines and Addison graduated. During their time apart, they stayed connected through FaceTime, Snapchat, and texting non-stop. They also visited each other whenever they could. Gabe flew to Kirksville to see Addison at school, came to Kansas City for Collin and Hannah’s wedding, and Addison visited him in California at Camp Pendleton and Oceanside.

They overcame many challenges and the long distance, but they made it through and were finally back home together. Addison started her job as an RN in the OR, and Gabe began school at Longview and UMKC. Being in the same city was wonderful, allowing them to go on adventures and start new hobbies together. They played lots of disc golf, pickleball, and tennis. Traveling was also high on their list, and they’ve been to Florida, on a family cruise, to Oklahoma City, Puerto Vallarta, and Key West. Another new adventure they began was scuba diving; Addison’s dad introduced them, and all three got certified together.

At the beginning of 2023, Addison was hoping for a proposal in their near future. On July 6th, Gabe spoke with Addison’s parents about proposing, telling them he wasn’t sure when it would happen but knew it would be soon. Little did they know, Gabe got so excited after talking to them that he proposed just two days later. Before proposing, he had Addison convinced he hadn’t even looked into getting a ring. He surprised her by proposing on July 8, 2023, at Lowenstein Park, and they celebrated with pizza at Main Slice.

From the beginning, Gabe and Addison clicked. They are best friends and each other’s favorite person. They’ve grown so much together, both as individuals and as a couple. They balance each other out in many ways and are always willing to work hard together. Gabe and Addison are looking forward to continuing to create memories each and every day. They are so excited and can’t wait to start this next chapter together.