Carmen and Thomas first locked eyes on the field behind University Terrace (UT)at UMES in the Fall of 2013. He was trying out for the football team and she was the athletic trainer. It was undeniable that they were sparks even after a few conversations. They met unexpectedly again at the basketball court in Tawes and exchanged numbers. It wasn't long before the two became inseparable.

The two would text constantly and try to meet up after classes. Even when their friends thought they were moving too fast, after exclusively dating for 4 months they exchanged titles of boyfriend and girlfriend on December 2, 2013. Thomas and Carmen knew they wanted to be together and fell in love.

Love and commitment can be scary and so are relationships on a college campus. Despite the highs and lows that many relationships face, these two love birds worked through their differences and prevailed. Their early 20s were spent on a college campus and their mid-20s were spent navigating life in the real world.

In August 2020, during the height of the pandemic Thomas and Carmen decided to urgently look for an apartment to live in together.

The past year had taught them life is short, live while you can.

December 25, 2020, Thomas and Carmen decided to take the next step in their relationship. He proposed.

In the Spring of 2021, they started planning a wedding!