It seemed like their paths had parted, but God had another plan. Four years later, in 2022, Hutri came back to Sacramento with her choir once more, and this time Michael started to take interest in her. They began talking and hanging out together. Yet, for all the time they spent together, it took Hutri a while to fully open up and feel comfortable. But as days passed and they got to know each other better, a quiet certainty began to bloom between them—a love, gentle but steadfast, that neither time nor distance could ever erase.

 
On one beautiful autumn evening in September of 2024, after weeks of careful planning involving some of their friends, and after obtaining the blessing of Hutri’s family, Michael led Hutri to a beach in Lake Tahoe. As the sun began to set, surrounded by family and friends, he asked the one question that would change their lives forever. With a tearful smile, Hutri said yes, marking the beginning of a new chapter filled with hope, faith, and love.