How the PS Collision Started…
It started with a Facebook message, sparked by a shared affinity for service, ideas, and the world around us. What began as a conversation between two volunteers quickly became something neither of them quite expected.
There were more than 700 miles between them–Washington, D.C. and Jacksonville, Florida–but curiosity proved stronger than geography. A twenty-minute phone call quickly became three hours. Conversations wandered while distance grew even wider as they traveled– California (Pascal) to Morocco (Savannah), from politics to philosophy, from books and art to the endlessly fascinating question of how another person sees the world.
They had never met in person, but somehow the dialogue already felt familiar. She brought the humor and the stories; he brought the questions. They filled in the blanks through long phone calls, letters, and, eventually, poetry.
Then came November 7, 2019. Pascal traveled to Washington, D.C., ostensibly to consider the city and an academic opportunity. But there was another reason for the trip: he wanted to meet Savannah.
Their first date began at Indigo, a beloved D.C. Indian restaurant, and continued at Solid State Books. Savannah planned the date and Pascal never forgot it. Somewhere between dinner, books, conversation, and laughter, the long-distance curiosity became something much more tangible.
On December 14, 2019, at the historic gardens of the Ringling Museum of Art—and beneath a perfectly timed shooting star—Savannah and Pascal began what would become three and a half years of long-distance love.
Those years were filled with mutual sacrifice, countless journeys, and an ever-growing collection of memories: spontaneous international trips, endless Amtrak rides, new cities and old favorites, and conversations that seemed to have no natural ending. They explored music, politics, philosophy, diplomacy, literature, investing, art, sport, and, most importantly, one another. Through it all, Pascal’s poetry never stopped.
In September 2022, he made his way to Washington, D.C., drawn first by love, then art, then work—eternally in that order. The two found a new rhythm in the same city, building lives that still left plenty of room for independence, curiosity, adventure, and the occasional spirited debate about the best way to spend a Saturday.
Savannah (according to Pascal) is courageous, resilient, selfless, and endlessly reliable. She shows up—for her family, her friends, her work, and the people she believes in. Her faith is her bedrock, mentorship is her gift, and she brings an unmistakable sense of style and joy to everything she does.
Pascal (according to Savannah) never stands still—unless he is in his beloved Hot Yoga practice. He is endlessly curious, always seeking out a new idea, a new perspective, or a new person to learn from. His love of fitness is rivaled only by his love of learning and conversation, and the influence of his artist parents taught him early to dream expansively and without expiration.
Together, Savannah and Pascal have smiled and cried, celebrated and struggled, wandered and wondered. Most importantly, they have learned to choose one another intentionally, to find peace in change, possibility in uncertainty, and joy in the ordinary days in between.
They remain best friends, tethered by an openness to tomorrow’s vastness, today’s metamorphoses, and yesterday’s leaps.
Then came August 22, 2025. Inspired by Savannah’s quest to visit every national park in the country and Pascal’s love of trekking, the two headed to Maine for a summer adventure. In the southwestern corner of Mount Desert Island, within Acadia National Park, golden dusk settled over the landscape—and an unforgettable moment took shape. Pascal had planned a surprise engagement. At golden hour, Pascal proposed. Savannah said yes.
