Tori and Forrest orbited one another without crossing paths for nearly two years before their friendship finally took root. Forrest will tell you he first met Tori in late 2020, though it seems the encounter left little impression—Tori has no recollection of the introduction.

Years later, fate placed them at the same EMS station, their shifts slightly overlapping. Forrest often worked from the office, and Tori frequently found herself wandering in to share stories from her day before heading home for the night.

In those quiet moments, Tori discovered a trusted confidant whose perspective she valued, while Forrest found in Tori both intellectual and emotional intelligence—and a source of laughter born from shared experiences and the occasional misfortune of those enduring the “New Jersey Heat.”

The changes that followed came gradually. Forrest began to look forward to the arrival of Tori’s ambulance, hoping his duties would not pull him away from the station. Tori, in turn, found herself anticipating their end-of-shift rituals of crosswords, Wordle, and heartfelt conversation. Before long, they had become each other’s favorite part of the day.

One unassuming coffee shop visit would soon alter the course of their lives, setting in motion a cascade of moments that built the foundation of their “little family.” Their move to Pittsboro into a new home together felt both a natural progression and a defining milestone—a tangible step into a shared future.

It was there, on the front steps of their new home during their very first weekend, that Forrest asked Tori to marry him. True to form, Tori was not surprised by the question—and, fortunately for Forrest, she said yes.