To the Editor:

My daughter, Marie Smith of St. Louis, Mo., met Gabe Lackey of Annapolis, Md., nearly four years ago at a Notre Dame vs. Navy football game in South Bend, Ind. Gabe was in his first year as a Navy midshipman and Marie was a sophomore at St. Mary’s College-Notre Dame. They had an instant connection when they found out that despite having grown up 1,000 miles apart, they had both vacationed in Surf City a block from each other when they were children.

During the summer of 2014, Marie’s family was finally able to meet Gabe in Surf City, where Marie has vacationed every summer of her life.

July 26, 2017