Elyse has lived her life traveling and going on adventures with her best friends. In the summer of 2018, she found herself on a sailing trip along the dazzling Croatian coast. She had just graduated from nursing school. This trip was her escape from what was about to be a predictable rhythm of life and was at a crossroads back in New Mexico. Little did she know that this journey would change her life forever.

That year Kohler decided to get away from New York and his hustle as an actor. He started traveling for the first time; starting his trip with the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain and ending it by taking a job as a charter captain in Croatia, another job in a long list that served as support for his acting career.

Kohler was friends with the Captain and hostess on Elyse's boat. He was invited to the after party and caught her attention. They had a friendly conversation that led to a kiss on the dock. The last days of the trip were spent enjoying each other's company. They casually kept in touch until Elyse visited Kohler in New York City months later. Despite living worlds apart and having completely different lives, they fell in love.

For four years of long distance they traveled the world together, faced a pandemic and had many joys and challenges in between. Each goodbye at the airport became harder, but it also fueled their determination to find a way to be together permanently. That chance finally came and Elyse moved to New York City with her daughter Aria in 2023.

On a joint birthday trip to Hawaii Kohler took Elyse to the top of Haleakala, a majestic volcano known for its breathtaking views at sunrise. As the sun slowly rose over the horizon, casting a golden glow across the sky, Kohler knelt down and asked her to marry him with words that will be shared only between themselves.

What had started as a chance meeting in Croatia had turned into a love story that spanned continents and years—a testament to the power of love, patience, and the belief that some connections are meant to be.

From that moment atop Haleakala, Elyse and Kohler’s journey together truly began, one built on shared dreams and the adventures they’d continue to seek out, always side by side.

Q + A

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