Rachel and Greg had been part of the same American Power Boat Association circle for years—Rachel as a driver and pit boss alongside her dad, and Greg as a member of the Region 6 safety team. Though they shared many mutual friends, being on different sides of the sport meant their paths rarely crossed.

Their first real interaction came during the 2021 Spring Test and Tune session in Waynesville, Ohio. A group of racers and safety team members gathered for dinner, sharing laughs and stories. Over the rest of the season, Rachel and Greg exchanged a few friendly hellos at races, but nothing more.

That changed in November 2021 at the APBA Fall Meeting. During the nomination process, Rachel was unexpectedly—and somewhat unknowingly—nominated as Alternate Director of the Officiating and Safety Committee. As she tried to process what was happening, someone motioned to close nominations, and Greg quickly seconded it. Just like that, Rachel found herself stepping into a new leadership role.

Later that day, Rachel set her sights on some Box 21 Region 6 Safety Team swag—specifically, a hoodie. She asked a few team members she knew how to get one. Mike Graham handed her his hoodie to wear, pointed to Greg, and told her she needed to talk to him. Unfortunately, there was no extra inventory; every hoodie belonged to a team member. Rachel left the meeting empty-handed.

The next morning, after the final meeting had concluded, Greg quietly handed his personal team hoodie to Rachel’s dad to take home to her. At the time, Rachel had no idea the hoodie was Greg’s own. When she later thanked Mike Graham and Dave Mabry for helping her get one, she learned the truth—it had been Greg’s hoodie all along.

Naturally, she tracked Greg down on Facebook to thank him for his kindness.

Thanks to Mike Graham, that simple act of generosity became the beginning of something much more. What started as a hoodie led to meaningful conversations, a growing friendship, and eventually a deep connection. Together, Rachel and Greg proved that distance was no match for them.

What began with a borrowed hoodie has turned into a forever kind of love.