In the summer of 2021, Elise had just moved to Tucson for medical school when David became her first houseguest. At the time, they were just friends. They quickly fell into an easy rhythm of studying together, working on research, and navigating the chaos of training. One night, he invited her over for a swim, and they ended up talking for hours about their goals and what they envisioned life might look like one day.

Their mutual friend Sabina saw the romantic connection before they did and decided to intervene in a very intentional way. She invited both of them over for what she called a casual get-together, but when they showed up, it became clear they were the only two invited. Fully committed to the plan, she sat them down and had them go through Oprah’s famous “questions to fall in love.” It was a little ridiculous, a little uncomfortable, and surprisingly meaningful. By the end of it, they both walked away realizing they had more in common than they had ever noticed before.

What drew them closer was how much they wanted the same kind of life. They both cared about family, spirituality, hard work, being thoughtful with what they had, and showing up for the people around them. Elise swears their first date was July 4th, 2023, when they drove up Mount Lemmon for fireworks. They sat wrapped in a blanket eating the picnic David had packed, and on the drive home talked about the kind of parents they hoped to be someday. Not long after, on September 15, David asked her to be his girlfriend.

Over the next couple of years, their lives blended in a steady, uncomplicated way. Elise observed David's character in the way he showed up for her little brother, Justin, with patience, playfulness, and genuine understanding. It wasn’t something he tried to prove, just who he was. David appreciated how Elise brought warmth, joy and steadiness into his life, especially during the harder stretches of training.

When it came time to apply for residency, they made the decision to couples match, choosing to take on the next phase of training committed to one another. It felt like a natural extension of how they had already been living, building something together while pursuing the same calling.

On May 7, 2025 David proposed at Los Milics Vineyard with the help of their closest friends. A few weeks later, they graduated from medical school together and stepped into residency, and the rest of their lives, side by side.