For me, it started on a day in late April of 2020. I was home during the pandemic and was swiping on Bumble. This one girl caught my attention. Her name was Bri. She was extremely cute, and she was spinning a basketball on her finger. Immediately, I thought, “Our kids would be great basketball players.” I swiped right. Project Arvydas Sabonis (Google him) was a go! It ended up being the second-best decision I ever made, but was also a story full of twists and turns.

Bri and I ended up matching and she messaged me. That conversation led to multiple dates and the start of a relationship. The more time I spent with Bri, the more I

liked her. I was on Cloud 9. However, one afternoon in October of 2020, Bri ended the relationship unexpectedly. I was astounded! Did she not have the same vision of our kids playing professional basketball? I had to put Project Sabonis on pause (for now).

Over the next two years, we did not speak. It took a bit of time to “get over” the relationship, and I eventually moved on and was able to focus on myself. I got a new job in November 2020 and then eventually got another job in May 2022 in NYC. I went on many dates with multiple super models… (I went on two dates that did not lead anywhere). Thankfully, I was saving up money to move out of my parents' home to NYC, spending time with my friends and my siblings and felt like I was in a great mental state.

Wednesday, September 21, 2022, seemed like a normal workday. I got home, ate dinner, and was

getting ready to call it a night when I received a text that made my jaw drop. It was from Bri. She said she had been thinking about me for a couple of months and felt compelled to reach out and catch up. My mind started racing. “Does she want to get back together?” “Does she want to get closure?” “Why is she reaching out two years later?” I held my breath and responded, which ended up becoming the third best decision I've ever made.

We caught up and decided to meet for dinner. Bri had just started a new coaching job at Franklin & Marshall in Lancaster, PA. Over more dates and dinners, the feeling starting to come back and we rekindled our relationship. This time, I think we both knew it was here to last. I moved to Brooklyn for work in February 2023 and thus began our long-distance relationship journey. We visited each other every weekend and talked on the phone every night. Every time I visited Bri, I grew to like Lancaster more and more. After a year and half of the distance, we decided we wanted to move in together. I had a flexible work schedule, and I figured out how to maintain all my in-office responsibilities, while also living 3 hours away from the city. By the time summer 2024 hit, we were all settled into our new place at Greenview Terrace.

I knew I wanted to propose after about a month of living together. There was not a specific time in which I had this sudden realization; I just knew it was the next step I wanted to take with her. Over the next few months, we looked at rings and adopted our first puppy (Sweet Angel Peppermint).

I proposed on November 16, 2024, the best decision I ever made. Project Sabonis is officially back on! I am so excited to plan our wedding and spend the rest of my life with Bri. A story full of twists and turns ended up having the best ending possible.