Stephanie Henry is part of many Torontonians’ morning routines as the traffic reporter on Breakfast Television. She’s also a reporter and producer on CityNews Toronto and 680 News, and recently she’s been working as a producer on the #CitylineReal on Race YouTube series with Cityline host Tracy Moore. Here she shares how she met her fiancé Brydon Hargreaves when they were just teens.
How they met
Brydon and I met in high school. How often do you hear that story any more? We met in Grade 9, so we were about 15 years old. I had the wildest crush on him but was far too awkward to do anything about it. The following year, Brydon moved away, and we kept in touch over the years. Once I started my second year at York University, Brydon was living nearby, and we decided it would be a good time to reconnect and hang out. After about two days of hanging out, we were like, “Let’s just do this!” That was in 2012.
The first date
We went to the CNE. We spent the day going on rides, eating weird food — weird food definitely brings you closer together. We sat at the dock and talked and then we watched some live entertainment. There were piggyback rides, ice cream treats and prizes won. It was definitely a cliché date but for all the right reasons. At the end of our date, it was time to say goodbye. We did the awkward dance around how to say goodbye, and Bry gave me a sweet kiss on the cheek.
The proposal
Brydon and I got engaged this year on Feb. 7. Brydon had planned to take me out to dinner that evening and then take me to our favourite spot, along the lakeshore. This was all under the guise that he had missed me, since I was away on vacation for the last 10 days. However, my flight home was three hours delayed, so when he picked me up from the airport we had missed our reservation and it was about 11 p.m. at night. I looked a mess, as you always do after a vacation, and didn’t feel like doing a thing. Brydon insisted that he wanted a late night snack, so we ended up going out to get food, and then he said he wanted to show me something at our old high school. I had no idea what was going on.
We were looking around for this thing. He couldn’t find it and I started walking back to the car because it was cold — especially since I just arrived back from Jamaica. When I started walking back he yelled, “Found it!” and when I turned around, he was down on one knee with a beautiful sparkly ring! He said, “This is where we met and where you fell in love with me first, so I wanted to bring you back here. Will you marry me?” Of course I said yes!
Balancing work and love
I think that communication is important on both sides when it comes to balancing your career or even your workday with time for each other. We make sure to carve out time daily, and we really enjoy going on dates and experiencing new things together!
Shared interests
I love watching TV and I love watching movies, even if I do fall asleep as soon as we hit play from time to time. Brydon loves football. He used to play while in school, and before the pandemic he would play for a league in Scarborough throughout the year. I enjoy being a loyal football fiancée and go cheer him on when he plays!
Secret of success
Communication, compromise, respect, laughter, understanding and space. That last one might throw people off, but I love space. I love me time and so does my fiancé. I think it’s important for both parties in any relationship to make space for self-love and self-care and also to keep relationships alive and well with your friends and family. Have your separate lives, that you share with one another from time to time even though you share a full life together.