Connect How did your love story begin?

Patrick moved from Florabama to NYC to get an MFA in acting at NYU. Christine moved from CA to pursue dance. Her roommate met Patrick through a church performing arts ministry and told Christine, "I met a guy you'll like." Our first date was a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge on the 4th of July. Three years later, on July 3, we were married. After time apart—P studying in Moscow and C teaching dance in Italy—P realized our greatest adventure wasn't chasing dreams—it was building a life together.

What is your favorite memory you've shared as a couple?

Choosing just one memory is impossible, but becoming parents changed everything. After I left a steady job to join an Off-Broadway theater company, we discovered we were expecting our son. He arrived three weeks early and even made a surprise appearance at his theater basement baby shower. Five years later, we adopted our daughter from China. Returning there together as a family of 4—while a Travel Channel crew documented the journey—was a "Trip of a Lifetime" experience we'll cherish forever.

What would you do with $20,000?

On our 20th anniversary, Christine underwent surgery for ovarian cancer. After more than a decade cancer-free, we've recently learned it has returned, and she begins chemotherapy next week. This July marks our 33rd anniversary. Christine is studying French and dreaming of visiting France again. We'd use the prize to celebrate life, love, and resilience with a trip to France between treatments—creating joyful memories while facing this next chapter together.