Trail Magic: Engagement During Roanoke Program
Trail magic is real. Just ask any of our participants, Adventure Guides, or friends! Recently, a group on one of our Roanoke trips witnessed some trail magic firsthand, as one of our participants proposed to his now-fiance.
Matt is an Army veteran who joined Beyond Boundaries in Roanoke to participate in our outdoor adventures, including paddling, hiking, and climbing. Matt became a regular, attending trips whenever he could. His fiance Jess also began joining some of the trips to spend more time with Matt and get outdoors. With the large variety of programming offered by Beyond Boundaries, both Matt and Jess were able to find something they were passionate about.
“I like the climbing. My fiance just bought me a paddleboard- she’s a huge kayaker and paddleboarder and has been doing it her entire life. It’s something she loves doing. It's a perfect fit since Travis is such a nut about it. I’m excited to learn how to paddleboard,” says Matt.
Matt says that the Beyond Boundaries Roanoke programming has earned a special place with him and his family.
“I love everything that Travis does, I think leadership plays a vital role in any organization, and Travis is a leader and exudes what he wants to see in the world,” says Matt. Travis’ leadership has made a huge impact on our programming in Roanoke and the community there as a whole, including Matt which led to his decision to share such a special moment with our team.
“Travis and Beyond Boundaries have become special to both of us,” explains Matt. “For example, here’s a mutual friend who’s a Navy vet that lives in lower-income housing and doesn’t have any furniture, so Travis and I worked together to get him a sofa,” he says.
Matt wanted to share the moment with his Beyond Boundaries family when planning the proposal.
“I decided this would be a very cool thing to do as we were leading up to the hike. I talked to Travis about it, and we came up with a plan. She got to meet guys like me on the ruck and be intermingled with the military. I think I surprised her a little,” jokes Matt.
At the end of a group hike with one of the veteran groups Beyond Boundaries serves, Travis halted the group, and Matt got down on one knee, making trail magic and sharing his feelings with Jess and the whole group.
“She was really happy. I think she knew I would eventually ask her; we had looked at rings, and I had already bought them unbeknownst to her. On August 31 of this year, we are getting married. We will have a small wedding; I will be inviting Travis. We just want to start our lives together,” he says.
With the wedding fast approaching, Matt and Jess are busy planning, including their three children.
“Jess and I share a lot—she’s the female version of me, and I just thought how cool it would be to do something special. It was huge—we anticipated a 5-mile hike and did 7. As soon as we crossed the finish line, I got down on one knee,” says Matt about the big moment.
We’re honored to have witnessed such a special event and wish Matt and Jess the best as they start their lives together. Congratulations from the whole Beyond Boundaries crew! We hope you share the magic of the trail together for years to come.