It was the first day of summer in 2013; the sun was setting by the full moon, and unbeknownst to Jay and Rebekah, their worlds were set to collide just like the waves on the shore of Seaside park.

Rebekah:

I was ready for a new adventure. Having graduated from college in Massachusetts just a month before, I wanted to get out of my hometown and see more of Connecticut. I took my opportunity when I met a group from Camp Harkness at a Department of Developmental Services training in Middletown, CT. From there, I followed them to Camp Harkness in Waterford. I met friends and traveled from camp to Seaside, and then I saw Jay.

Jay:

I had been spending the afternoon with friends taking photos of the sun setting behind the old sanitorium architecture when boom! Out of nowhere appears the most beautiful energetic and inquisitive sweet Rebekah, I say, "Hi" and she says, "Hi, umm...how old are you?"

Rebekah:

We climbed on the antiquated jungle gym, and Jay showed me his skills in monkeying around. After we left Seaside, we grilled with friends in a New London street alley, and that's when we got to talking.

Jay:

She mentioned she had a jacket in her car that might fit me. Donning the new jacket, I asked her if she'd like a tour of the city. We walked down to see the tall ships on the pier and explored the murals throughout downtown and ended up staying up talking and learning about each other till the sun came up.

From that moment on, our connection continued to grow. It was a couple weeks later after our first date to a Flaming Lips concert, laying on the beach where we ultimately got engaged, when we felt that super spark. We both knew we had found the one, we knew we were soulmates, and it is so real.