Shawn Loyack and Jared Gibbons met in high school. They starting dating in their sophomore year, and stayed together when Loyack moved to Texas for the last two years of high school.

“It was tough,” Loyack, a Wilkes junior education major, said with a smile, “But it was worth it.”

The couple, still together after five years, is going strong. With Loyack back in the area for college, their relationship has only gotten stronger.

The secret to their success is simply put in a common phrase. “No matter what life throws at us we still love each other and love always finds a way.”

“When you find someone who truly loves you, you can always be yourself. That’s the best kind of relationship because you don’t have to hold back anything.”

Gibbons thinks the relationship is a perfect match. He considers Loyack his other half, the person that fits perfectly into his life.

The most trying time in their relationship was their time spent 2,000 miles away from each other. Loyack flew in to see extended family in the NEPA area when she could, and Gibbons flew down on holiday breaks from school. The couple knew that starting out as a high school relationship didn’t contain amazing odds for such a long distance relationship, but the two persevered into their twenties, where they support each other today.

“We knew what the word just saw us as a couple of crazy kids, but we didn’t care. clearly we have proved even the odds have exceptions.”