It’s funny how life works sometimes. Nikko and Marissa had grown up in the same small corner of Wisconsin, just 30 minutes apart (Cedarburg, WI & Menomonee Falls, WI). They must have crossed paths before, perhaps at a Summerfest concert in Milwaukee or a Badger football game in Madison. But, neither of them could have known that their real story would begin a thousand miles away, in the mountains of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Nikko had moved to Colorado–about a month before they met– to start his job as a PT at Select Physical Therapy. It had been an adjustment, of course, but Nikko settled into his new home in the mountains with the help of his brother, Michael, and Michael’s loving partner, Danae - both of which had been living in Colorado for about a year. Nikko always thought he’d end up in Denver but, after landing his job in Colorado Springs, something about it just felt right.

Marissa had only just arrived in Colorado—just two days before they met–to start her job as a PT at Select Physical Therapy (yes, the same company!). After completing an internship in Colorado Springs, she fell in love with the mountains and made it her goal to move back as soon as she graduated from PT school. Moving wasn’t an easy decision; it had meant leaving behind friends and family in Wisconsin for the unknown of Colorado but, something about it just felt right.

And then-as if it was fate bringing them together-Nikko and Marissa’s paths crossed, not in Wisconsin, but in a physical therapy clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They met at a work meeting just a few days after Marissa arrived! Nikko had heard of a new physical therapist from Wisconsin joining the team so when Marissa walked through the entryway of the clinic (with eyes wide as she scanned the room full of PTs), he decided to introduce himself to her.

“Hi there!” Nikko said, extending a hand, “I’m Nikko - I’m from Wisconsin and I heard you’re from Wisconsin too!”

Marissa smiled at the familiarity of his Wisconsin accent and replied “I’m Marissa, I’m from Menomonee Falls! Where in Wisconsin are you from?”.

From that moment, the two became fast friends. It wasn’t long before they began spending more time together–grabbing beers at local breweries and hiking together through the mountains with Marissa’s dog, Finn. As they laughed and swapped stories about their time in Wisconsin, their mid-west familiarity made it feel like they had known each other for years. Soon, their friendship naturally evolved into a strong, loving relationship with the support of their closest people.

3 years after they first met, Nikko knew the perfect place to propose: the summit of their favorite trail in Colorado, where they had hiked together as friends before their relationship blossomed. On a crisp fall morning, with the mountains stretching out before them, Nikko paused at the same spot where they had first shared laughter and friendship. With a deep breath, he knelt down and asked Marissa to marry him, offering a ring and his heart. Surrounded by the beauty of the mountains, Marissa, tears in her eyes, said yes. It was the perfect moment, the culmination of a love that had grown from common roots and been nurtured by the very mountains that had brought them together.

As Marissa and Nikko look forward to their wedding, they’re excited to return to Wisconsin. Surrounded by their families, friends, and the familiar beauty of their home state, they can’t wait to celebrate their love in the place that shaped who they are. It’s the perfect blend of their past and future—a new chapter that honors their shared roots and the life they will continue to build together.

With love, M & N