In one of my favorite movies, there’s a scene at a wedding that has always stuck with me. The main character’s father says, “Try and marry someone kind. And this is a kind person with a good heart.”

I was lucky enough, on November 20th, 2024, to go on a date with Hailey. Between exams, work, and travel, I somehow managed to get one hour, between study sessions, to try and sweep this girl off her feet. After an hour of sitting in a parking lot drinking Swig, I can say I failed miserably. I set out to impress her, but instead, I ended up falling for her completely.

After two more dates, lots of traveling, and many failed attempts to impress her, we went on a date on January 3rd, 2025, that changed my life forever. From showing her how to drive a manual transmission to watching Wicked, I hung on every word, laugh, and smile. In a journal entry from around that time, I wrote, “I don’t know where this will go, but I am in awe of this girl, and today I am grateful to know her.”

From that day on, we’ve been inseparable. Fourteen days later, she became my girlfriend and 181 days after that, my fiancée.

I adore Hailey Child. She will forever be my world.

On January 23rd, 2026, our greatest adventure begins.

-Isaac Trujillo