We met at church at 16—two awkward teens with instant crushes. A few months (and a lot of nerves) later, I asked Kylie out. Our first date was a movie, soundtracked by Kylie's sister and friends singing Jesse’s Girl as we left for the date. It went great…then life happened, and we lost touch—but never stopped quietly keeping tabs on each other online. Fast-forward 10+ years: I reached out, and it was like no time had passed. Sparks flew all over again. Now, we're getting married March of 2026.

We knew we were soulmates as we ate crawfish on a sunny spring day, sitting by the Mississippi River, casually discussing our future together. That’s when we both realized we were in this forever. It came over us gently, like we'd been this way as long as we could remember. A few years later, Jesse proposed in that same spot in New Orleans, weaving in a weekend of surprises with our friends and family. It was the most magical day of our lives.

Our family, friends, and animals mean the world to us. Winning this money would help us take a huge step—putting a downpayment on our first home. We dream of a place to build our future, start a family, host loved ones, and welcome more dogs into our lives. As we begin our marriage next year, this would be the foundation for all the beautiful memories we can’t wait to make together.