Beginning in the Fall of 2016, Thomas began his studies at Virginia Tech. Thomas was not sure what he wanted to study or what to do with all the free time he had, but he wanted to immerse himself in various activities. He took a shot at triathlons as he already had a background in running and swimming.

Laura was entering her sophomore year of college , pursing a degree in Chemical Engineering while running for Virginia Tech. Looking for a change in scenery, she decided to step away from the Virginia Tech running program and join the Triathlon Club, something she had participated in growing up.

The first practice they arrived at, they began to gravitate towards each other. While few words were spoken, they spent many workouts pushing and motivating each other. While Laura thought it was great to have a workout buddy, Thomas began developing a special liking to his new found friend. Over the next few months, Thomas and Laura's relationship would continue to grow as it became increasingly clear that their was something special between the two.

They began dating by the end of the summer of 2017 as they both continued their triathlon career. As they went through the many stages of a relationship, others began to take notice of the strong bond between the two of them. Relationships are not perfect, and Thomas and Laura can attest to this, but they had each other to rely on and they quickly began spending every moment they could together. Their relationship was tested through different internships, summer classes, and the distance between families where they would have to travel 3+ hours to see each other.

Understanding each other and pushing through adversity, Thomas new he had found his forever and decided it was time to ask Laura to be by his side for life. Due to COVID-19, their graduation was cancelled, but they still were able to gather up both families at Virginia Tech for some graduation photos. While their, Thomas Proposed to Laura in front of Burruss Hall, the most iconic building at Virginia Tech.

For the next year Thomas and Laura traveled back and forth every weekend seeing each other as they tried to figure out where they were going to be long-term. They decided to move to Richmond where they bought a house and have quickly established their roots. They are now living happily with their little fur babies, Sonny and Luna in the Short Pump area of Henrico. Laura works fulltime as a Chemistry Teacher and Track Coach at Deep Run High School. Thomas works for Barton Malow, a General Contractor based in Richmond.

Both Thomas and Laura often reflect on their time at Virginia Tech and the journey of their 4.5 year relationship. They remember back to the first practice where they ran together and how much they had both grown as individuals together. They both cannot believe how lucky they are that they have one another to take on this journey of life, but they wouldn't want to do it with anyone else!

As they make the next big jump in their life, they thank the family and friends that have been there for them throughout Thomas and Laura's relationship. They wish to express their love and sincere gratitude as they get to spend this special moment with the greatest people around.

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