In 2023, Mason and McKenna unknowingly moved into the same apartment complex. One Friday night, McKenna and her roommates were hosting a Mexican dinner when things took a smoky turn. A burnt quesadilla nearly set off the fire alarms, sending everyone scrambling to open windows, doors, and even use hair dryers to clear the air.

The commotion caught Mason’s attention upstairs, and after convincing his roommates to investigate, they made their way down.

During that first night, they discovered they were both in the same major, despite Mason being a year ahead. Soon after, McKenna reached out for help with physics homework… though whether she actually needed help is still up for debate.

What started as tutoring sessions quickly turned into regular hangouts.

Not long after, Mason made it official and asked McKenna to be his girlfriend, and from there, everything fell into place.

That next summer, they had the chance to study abroad together, marking the beginning of a season filled with shared experiences and new memories.

A simple connection between neighbors slowly deepened into something more; A fondness that, over time, grew into a partnership neither of them could imagine living without.

Pulling off a surprise with McKenna isn’t easy, but Mason was up for the challenge.

Mason drove her to a State Park, leading her to a scenic spot his parents had secretly scouted weeks before. There, Mason got down on one knee, and of course, she said yes.