Rivers and Ashlin met at Highlands College on Ashlin's move-in day. After Rivers "fixed" her "broken" cabinet, they quickly became friends.

After many Waffle House meals and Buccee's trips, their friends quickly suspected they may like each other, although it was denied by both of them many times.

Rivers left Highlands after Ashlin's first semester, but they stayed in contact and would talk mostly every day. After Rivers came up for his friend, Casey's, graduation, something in their friendship changed.

Over the summer, Rivers did an internship in Dallas, while Ashlin worked at a summer camp in Tyler. Although they didn't see each other, hours were spent on the phone, and Rivers even stopped in Tyler to have coffee with her at the end of the summer. After Ashlin took a trip to Pensacola, and many more phone calls and FaceTime's, they officially started dating December 6, 2024.

All of their dating relationship, and most of their friendship was spent in long distance, but weekends were found in between many FaceTimes.

On March 20, Rivers experienced a major cardiac event, which resulted in him spending quite some time in the ICU. Ashlin not only saved his life, she never left his side.

After a long couple of months of Rivers healing, doing long distance, and working in their respective churches. Rivers asked Ashlin to marry him on July 21st, 2025. She, of course, said yes!