Our journey began on November 3, 2022, when Rachael and William separately attended a NATCA (National Air Traffic Controllers Association) event at Pinstripes in Oak Brook, IL. While chatting with people from other Air Traffic facilities in the area, they found themselves in a conversation. Though neither admitted this until later, they both had a feeling that the other person was someone they needed to get to know better.....

William asked Rachael for a tour of O'Hare tower and the two exchanged numbers. Over the next few months they talked a bit, then on March 30th, 2023 William had to call Rachael at work for an air traffic coordination. Immediately after going on break, Rachael texted William...and they haven't stopped talking since!

Their first date (though neither initially admitted it was a date) would be May 2, 2023 at a Sox game vs the Twins, which would later become a yearly tradition. William officially asked Rachael to be his girlfriend on May 24, 2023!

William devised a perfect plan that caught Rachael completely by surprise!

On July 30, 2025, William offered to take Rachael out to dinner. After Rachael unknowingly tried to foil his plan by insisting they stayed home, he eventually convinced her to go out for drinks in St Charles, IL.

After having a drink, William suggested walking down by the river to another bar. Unbeknownst to Rachael, William had coordinated with her family and close friends to be staged nearby. After bringing her to the waterfront, William got down on one knee and asked her to marry him! At that time, their friends lowered the drones that had been recording them the whole time and the group emerged from the background in applause.

Our awesome friends captured the whole thing via drone footage, you can view it here!

http://www.youtube.com/shorts/Zf4XNTZty6k