Dan Johnston & Brittany Sutherland

Dan asked Brittany out on a date in 2016 and was initially turned down but they continued to be acquaintances since they both had mutual friends and went to the same parties occasionally together. During the evacuation of the Fort McMurray Wildfire, Brittany noticed that she cared more about Dan's well-being because he was working north of the fire at the time. As a result, over the next several weeks they started chatting more, checking on each other, and becoming closer. The chatting became flirtatious as time went on and they grew excited to see each other physically in a new light.  

Brittany and her best friend Brittany took a day trip to Fort McMurray during the early evacuation re-entry to check on their places and Dan left his work camp to meet Brittany in town to have their first "meeting". The "meeting" involved checking on people's homes, cleaning fridges, and even a steamy first kiss. It was tough for them to see each other for only a couple hours and then so quickly be separated again.

A couple weeks later Dan was flying to B.C. to get his truck and cat and had an overnight layover in Edmonton. Dan and Brittany were able to meet up together in Edmonton and have their first official date overnight in an airport hotel. After sharing a meal and a romantic dance in the room, they were both able to connect on a totally new level. They shared personal stories and secrets all evening and Dan even changed his flight for the following morning by a couple hours so they could stay up later and spend more time together. Brittany really noticed the type of caring person that Dan was and appreciated that he was a man of action and not just words. The next morning they had another sad parting but both told others later that day that they found the person they were going to marry.

While driving back home to Fort McMurray with his truck and cat, Dan met up with Brittany in Edmonton again and they had their second date in another hotel room. Their relationship was continually growing exponentially deeper and they leveled up every second they spent together. Another dreadful parting the next morning made both of them have some big realizations about how much they cared about and loved each other already.

Brittany finally got back home to Fort McMurray a couple weeks later and Brittany and Dan knew immediately that they didn't want to spend another night apart from each other ever again…so they didn't. 

I instantly knew Brittany was the one, and I knew the time was right to propose a year after being together in July, 2017. I contacted my mother, Holley, and we took a look at the family rings; as soon as I saw the gold ring with rubies and pearls, I knew that was the perfect ring for Brittany, it had all her favourite colours.My brother Jim, sister-in-law Stacey, and nephew Fox brought the ring back with them to Fort McMurray. I met up secretly with Brittany's older sister Rosie and asked for her blessing for Brittany's hand in marriage. A few weeks later, I took Brittany out for a date to dinner at the Keg and surprised her with a proposal in the parking lot. I was shaking and forgot my entire speech  I worked on but in the end it all went perfectly because she said yes and the ring fit her finger perfectly. We were both filled with excitement and adrenaline and couldn't be happier while sharing an amazing meal together.