Most love stories do not start with a Hurricane brought us together, but ours does.

In September 2022, Hurricane Ian hit Fort Myers, Florida, devastated Justynne's hometown. But this Hurricane also brought two people together to become one.

Corey was stationed in Miami, Florida, when he received the call to send his boat to Fort Myers to rebuild the waterways from this devasting storm. Little did he know, this would also bring him to Justynne, who resides in this city.

Corey and Justynne had been talking for about a month while Corey was in between underway trips. They had not planned to meet, but on October 17, 2022, Corey had one day off in Fort Myers and asked Justynne for a date, which would also be their first face-to-face meeting.

Since Corey was underway, he needed a vehicle to pick Justynne up for their first date. With this being said, Justynne picked Corey up on First Street, rolled down her window, and said, "How much?". They spent the night going to dinner at Iguana Mia, where their chemistry instantly clicked, and it felt like they had known each other for years. The remainder of the night was spent getting drinks, laughing, and singing along to Morgan Wallen. Toward the night's end, Corey grabbed Justynne's hands and asked her to be his girlfriend on First Street.

Their romance continued through long distance, underway trips for his job and business trips for hers, but they committed their love and loyalty to each other, and the rest is history.

Leading up to the proposal, Corey worked with Justynne's sister to create the most magical night. On October 14, 2023, they went to dinner at Marco Prime Steakhouse, where everyone in the restaurant could feel Corey's nervousness about proposing later that night. After many trips to the bathroom because he was "not feeling well," little did Justynne know these bathroom trips were Corey going to the truck to get the ring and texting Justynne's sister, who was setting up the proposal on Marco Island Beach. After the dinner, Corey grabbed Justynne's hand and walked her across the pier to watch the sunset. People need to know that it was gloomy, rainy, and windy all day before sunset. But, right after dinner, the storm again calmed down to set the skies for the perfect sunset. Corey walked Justynne down the beach to a setup with rose petals, champagne, and a love letter speech. After speaking from the heart, Corey got down on one knee and asked Justynne to marry him. She quickly screamed YES, and the whole beach shouted cheerfully.

Through the highs and lows, our love became more robust and an anchor, providing strength and solace for one another. Together, we will continue to weather storms and celebrate our passion, all because of one storm that brought two souls together.

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