Grace and Walt

On September 27, 2017, Sigma Chi and Phi Mu had their annual Low Country Boil philanthropy event at the University of North Georgia. We met that night but didn’t really hang out again until April 19th of 2018. After that day, we started hanging out all the time and became best friends. Walt was the guy that you called if you needed anything. To help move heavy boxes, jump your car that wouldn’t start or for good advice when you didn’t know what to do. He was my go-to and one of the greatest friends I have ever had.

We were going down to Savannah to celebrate our birthdays (yes, we have the same birthday) with my family in Savannah, GA. That Saturday, we got lunch with two of our favorite people at my favorite restaurant. Later on, we walked around Broughton Street and then went to our reservation at Garibaldi. Garibaldi, for those who are not familiar, is a beautiful restaurant on Congress Street near city market. Although the food is delicious and the atmosphere is incredible, it is also where my dad took my mom on their very first date. After dinner, we walked down Broughton Street and then drove over to Bluff Drive for our routine after-dinner walk together. We walked and talked on my favorite street, at my favorite time of day. When we got to the end of the road, Walt talked a little and cried a little. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Easiest yes ever when I could finally speak through all my happy tears.We left and went back to my house. Pulling into my driveway and seeing some of our closest friends and family standing there waiting for us tops all of the other moments in our relationship. I have never felt more loved and known by Walt then seeing all of the planning that I knew it took to execute a moment like that. He nailed it. Every location, every person, every single detail- down to the time of day and my nails being perfectly manicured. He had 50 of our friends and family all gathered together to celebrate the start of a new chapter.