Sokea and Jason met at Palatine High School during their sophomore year. They first met in the cafeteria where their friend groups sat at neighboring lunch tables. They were friends throughout sophomore year until Junior year when Jason asked Sokea to Homecoming. That Fall, they started dating and the rest was history. Jason commuted almost an hour everyday to school, and they both worked and did sports and activities. Yet, they always found time to spend together late afternoons and weekends.

They spent time at school events, where Sokea participated in dance and Jason wrestled and played Football. Early on, they bonded through volunteering at sports camps for kids in the community. Sokea had grown up volunteering and fostering children with her family. Jason grew up helping to take care of his many younger siblings. They had mutual dreams of pursuing jobs in healthcare, and spent afternoons at the public library studying. One of their favorite activities was driving around nice neighborhoods and thinking about their own future with property and a nice home. Back then, they would scrounge between the seats of the car for quarters to buy a couple donuts from Spunky Dunkers, or share a half price bowl at Chipotle where Jason worked.

Eventually, Sokea and Jason graduated high school, heading different directions for their undergraduate degrees. Sokea went to Michigan State for a Bachelor’s of Psychology and Jason went to the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh to pursue a degree in Biology. Now seven hours away, they still vowed to make their relationship work and alternated visiting each other every month. It was during these visits that Sokea and Jason bonded most through their love of nature. They toured the Great Lakes ecosystem in Wisconsin and Michigan, hiking, mushroom-hunting, and more. They spent their visits together having picnics, playing HORSE at local basketball hoops, and hanging out with the many friends they shared between schools.

After Graduating, Sokea and Jason both moved back home with their families. Sokea began classes for her Master’s in Occupational Therapy. Jason took a gap year to work as a medical assistant before getting into UIC for medical school. Home, but still an hour apart. They still saw each other frequently, and each was taken into the other’s family. Sokea watched Jason’s younger siblings grow up, becoming a fixture in their lives. Jason grew close with Sokea’s parents, sister, and brother-in-law; attending family functions and watching sporting events. The more Sokea was incorporated into Jason’s family, and vice versa, the stronger their relationship became.

After six years of long-distance; Sokea and Jason moved right down the street from each other in Old Town on the near north side of Chicago. Sokea graduated Occupational Therapy school and got a job at Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital. Jason started medical school at UIC College of Medicine. Finally, they were just a short walk away from each other on the beautiful north side of Chicago. They enjoyed walking the lakefront, visiting the museums, and both cooking in and eating out at any of Chicago’s amazing restaurants. Their love matured and they began planning their careers and future together. Sokea and Jason hope to use their careers collaboratively to bring holistic healthcare and therapy to communities. Since high school, they’ve shared a passion for helping those in need, and they hope to continue to do so together in their marriage.

Jason proposed to Sokea on October 7, 2023. She said yes! They’re both most excited about seeing all of their favorite people in the same place to celebrate on October 18th, 10 years exactly from when they first started dating.