We had known each other for years through my friendship with his mother. Though we’re nearly 10 years apart, our connection was effortless. I was a separated mom of two daughters,navigating divorce; he was a single man with a cat, never married, always kind and respectful. After I filed for divorce, our closeness grew mutually and organically. What began as a strong friendship quietly evolved into something deeper, rooted in care, trust, and a love that felt both grounding and undeniable.

Our first morning kiss before I left his place, I kissed him - his gentle arms around me as we danced on our first date to Modern love by David Bowie -the moment I drove by warehouse window where he worked (on my way home) when I called from the street below to wave at him. In Sayulita, we shared quiet beach moments and especially with my daughters joining us swimming together in the cove from his childhood. Every moment, big or small, stitched a deeper kind of love between us (my daughters )

We would use half to host a small, heartfelt wedding for close friends and family—those who have supported our journey, especially my mother and his parents, who have never had the joy of seeing any of their children get married in a meaningful celebration. The remaining $10,000 would seed a scholarship through my nonprofit, giving low-income youth or children of single parents the opportunity to take their first educational trip abroad broadening their world, perspective, and dreams.