Mike and Catalina’s journey began in Denver, Colorado, thanks to the close-knit world of mining. Mike started his mining career in 2015 at the Henderson Mine. By 2016, he transitioned to the strategic planning team supporting the Grasberg mining complex in Indonesia, and later took his career to Australia. After years abroad, he returned to the States, settling back into Denver, Colorado.

Catalina’s path in mining started separately. In 2019, she interned with the strategic planning team supporting the Grasberg mining complex in Indonesia, and in 2020, she started full-time at the Henderson Mine. Despite working in the same industry and mines, their careers never crossed paths—until one day, during a family road trip, Catalina received a Facebook message from Mike:

“Hi Catalina! I noticed that we have many mutual friends from Freeport. You must work in mining! I’m a mining engineer and used to work for Freeport. I moved around a bit, and now I’m in Denver. I thought I’d say hi!”

Catalina was thrilled. Mike’s message arrived on June 27th at 4:31 PM, and she immediately looked through his photos, noticing his love for adventure—a perfect match for her own passions. A few weeks later, they arranged their first date: a hike up North Table Mountain in Golden, Colorado, on a Monday at 5:30 AM—before work for Mike and on Catalina’s day off. This was just the beginning of many adventures together in Colorado and around the world.

Their first road trip together took them along the California coast during Thanksgiving 2021, where they spent a week learning more about each other and growing their relationship. That December, Catalina met Mike’s family for the first time, feeling their warmth and unconditional love. A year later, in December 2022, Mike met Catalina’s family, receiving the same heartfelt welcome despite the language barrier. To bridge this, Mike began taking Spanish classes soon after meeting Catalina, eager to connect more deeply with her family.

In February 2023, work took Catalina to Vancouver, Canada, but distance didn’t deter them. Over the next year, Mike made more than eight trips from Denver to Vancouver to keep their connection strong. Then, on Christmas Day 2023, he flew to Colombia with an emerald ring, proposing to Catalina in front of her family. It was a truly special moment.

Catalina returned to Denver in June 2024, and since then, she and Mike have been building their life together, excited for a future filled with love, adventure, and the blessings of a shared journey.

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