We first crossed paths during our junior year of nursing school at UNCG in 2022. We didn’t interact much at first, but things changed when a mutual friend invited us to hang out at her house after finals. It was there, in the midst of a group of friends, that we discovered our shared love for medicine, time-traveling TV shows, hobbits, and—most importantly—our faith in Jesus.

But despite our new friendship, we didn’t talk again for a few months. With the pressures of internships, school, family obligations, and, of course, a new season of Love Is Blind to catch up on, the timing just didn’t seem right for anything more.

Topher had reservations, too. He was still grieving the recent loss of his sister, Catherine, and, with graduation approaching, he had been contemplating leaving North Carolina to pursue his career in healthcare. He was determined to give his all to his profession and worried that a new relationship might pull him away from that focus. Plus, Topher—being a 30-year-old, tattooed, motorcycle-riding veteran with long hair and earrings—was not exactly the type of guy Sara’s mom had in mind for her daughter. Her advice? “Don’t go there.”

Sara, however, had a feeling her family’s opinion would change once they got to know Topher. After all, it was his kindness, thoughtfulness, and deep love for God and others that had drawn her to him in the first place. She was right, as always, and before long, her family saw what she saw: that Topher was exactly who her family had in mind for her.

So after a summer break with no contact, school resumed that Fall, and we picked up where we’d left off. To kick things off, Sara gave Topher a silly poster as a gift, and in return, he suggested a dinner date. A night at Black Powder Smokehouse led to a realization: this was something truly special.

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