Clark and I knew of each other through Young Life at Clemson and we had a lot of mutual friends, yet our paths rarely crossed in our freshman and sophomore years. What finally brought us together was a Cost Accounting class in the fall semester of junior year.

Isn't this story starting off craaazy? Who says accounting isn't exciting.

Anyway, we struck up a friendship during that class and made some super fun college memories with Excel (please know that this is a joke). I think we both felt a little spark, but neither of us acted on it.

Eventually the semester ended, Christmas break came and went, and we were back on campus. But now Clark and I kept in touch only through occasional texts. We didn't have any classes together this time. I found myself thinking of him now and then, and missing him a little.

Then I heard through the grapevine that Clark had wanted to ask me out on a date back in the fall. And I told my roommates that I'd love to date someone like Clark.

To which they replied, "Well, why wouldn't you just date CLARK?"

Duh. I have no idea why that didn't occur to me sooner. I felt like I missed my chance. I began trying to figure out ways to see or talk to Clark more often that wouldn't seem contrived.

Then lucky for me, he got the stomach flu (yes, I know how that sounds). It was spring break, and Clark and his friends had taken a huge road trip. One by one they started barfing and had to trade camping for the indoor plumbing of a roadside hotel. It was the perfect reason to reach out to him and tell him I hoped he was okay.

So I did, and we began talking regularly from that day on. Some of our conversations lasted hours. For me, this was the big clue that Clark was different. Until then I wasn't a fan of marathon phone calls.

He finally asked me out, and we began dating right as junior year was ending and we were headed to different cities for summer internships. We were a little bummed about the distance but we only grew closer during those months. We talked a lot, learned how well we aligned on the big things in life, and made each other laugh a ton.

We also discovered we have a name in common. Obviously Hendrix is my last name. Turns out it's Clark's middle name. Let me take this opportunity to assure y'all we are NOT related! It is truly a wild coincidence.

Soon we were back on campus for senior year, and we had so many plans involving our friends, Clemson football, and all kinds of other senior milestones.

And we did have an amazing year. But it wasn't the one we thought we'd have.

Most of you know that I had a serious car accident that October. It nearly destroyed my left leg. I couldn't walk for a long time. And Clark never flinched. He was there for me through two surgeries and a year of rehab and the long weeks and months where I could do nothing but sit.

The night it happened he stayed with me at the hospital in a folding chair, refusing to leave until my parents could get there from Florida the next day.

I could tell you so many stories of the ways that Clark showed his commitment to me through the whole ordeal. He pushed me nearly a mile in a wheelchair over Clemson's seriously hilly campus so I could attend the Clemson vs. South Carolina game. He would happily sit with me for long hours; I would tell him to go have fun; he would reply that there was nowhere he'd rather be; and I am beyond blessed because he meant it.

The accident, as much as we wish it never happened, brought us both closer together and closer to God.

When Clark proposed to me in March of 2024, it was the easiest and happiest yes I've ever given. He made it a total and wonderful surprise, which he knew I wanted. And fun fact, he proposed on March 15. So our wedding will mark the one-year anniversary of our engagement.

And we can't wait to celebrate with all of you in Charleston, one of our favorite places ever! We'll see you soon!

I came into an accounting class in the fall of my junior year only knowing that, according to my roommates, I had scored by having this class with Caroline Hendrix, the smart accounting girl. I’m not sure if I’ve ever admitted this to Caroline, but I came in with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder because I used to be the one everyone would call for accounting help freshman year before they met Caroline. My friends and family will tell you that I’m more competitive than I let on.

Nevertheless, we ended up hitting it off as friends. We talked a lot about sports and our love for Clemson, plus our shared interest in tackling the financial industry one day.

As this relationship grew over the months, I learned why people called Caroline for help instead of me. I knew she always did really well on tests and I wasn't sure how. But then I saw her obsessive studying habits. Anyway, we really had a great friendship going by the end of the semester, but neither one of us was acknowledging feelings quite yet.

Then after she and I spent most of an entire week together in the library studying for our final exam, one of my friends (Davis, not sure if you even remember doing this) looked at me and said, “You and Caroline. I could see it."

I look back and it’s hard to imagine how slow I had to be to only then realize I had feelings for her. But Caroline would probably say it’s not hard to imagine me being slow to catch on.

Once I realized I, too, could see the two of us together, I had to figure out how to make it happen. So I asked her if I could come see her at her apartment before we left for Christmas break. She agreed, and my grand plan was to have the subject of going on a date magically work its way into the conversation. If you're thinking this plan is vague and lame, you are correct. The subject didn't magically come up, and I will refer you to the previous paragraph where I admit to being slow.

Then during the spring semester, some gossip got back to me: Caroline had told her friends she wanted to date someone like me. I thought about the "someone like" part of that for a while. And I decided to take it as a win.

Then I decided to take real action, so I asked her out on a real date. She said yes.

Pretty early on we both knew that we had something special going on. And it was confirmed with some trials that quickly came our way. First was Caroline’s devastating car wreck in the fall of our senior year, and next was my moving away in the spring semester. I had graduated and was starting a job, but Caroline and all of our friends were still in school.

The more I got to know and love Caroline’s quick-witted humor, work ethic, and kind nature (and love of Clemson football, which is really what it all boils down to), the surer I became that I didn't want to spend another day without her by my side. And in Isle of Palms on March 15, 2024, she made me the luckiest man in the world and agreed to marry me.

We can’t wait for you to join us a year later on March 15, 2025, to celebrate the beginning of the rest of our lives!