Page 13 - ARUBA TODAY

A13
Tuesday 14 November 2017

The Patriots, Aruba and the Proposal:

How a Methuen man, Salem, New Hampshire woman

met 1,000 miles away, saw Pats win and fell in love

parents and siblings and They realized they had accepted.
friends. The Torrisi’s, who more in common than the A 2018 wedding is in the
have been going annu- Patriots. They realized they beginning stages of being
ally since 1999, were in one grew up minutes away planned.
hotel, while Diefendorf’s & from each other. “We are huge Patriots fans
Co., who have been their “In fact, even crazier was and watch every game to-
eight straight years, at an- the fact that her father’s gether,” said Torrisi. “We will
other. And restaurant/bar house was on Arlington get married on a beach
called Moomba’s was in Pond in Salem (N.H.),” said somewhere between
between the two hotels. Torrisi. “My grandmother’s Rhode Island and Maine.”
After the Patriots beat the home was on the other side The irony of their initial
Giants at the Meadow- of the pond. I can clearly meeting amazes Torrisi to
lands, 27-26, on a 54-yard see their home. I had been this day.
field goal in the closing sec- there hundreds of times, “We each travel 1,000 miles
onds, Torrisi and Diefendorf, yet we had never met.” to Aruba and the Patriots
separately went to the bar Torrisi attended UMass Low- do something they never
to celebrate. ell and is a sales rep for do, which is beat the Gi-
“I hate the Giants because LogMeIn in Boston while ants,” said Torrisi. “Jayme
of their lucky wins over the Diefendorf, 28, who attend- did tell me that ‘If I met
Patriots in the Super Bowl,” ed Mass. College of Phar- you at home, I would never
said Torrisi, who family has macy in Boston, is a dental talk to you.’ I guess it’s all
been going to Aruba for hygenist in Salem. about timing and being at
more than a dozen con- On a trip to Azores Islands, the right place at the right
secutive years. “This felt like off the coast of Portugal, time.”
a playoff game. The Patriots Torrisi surprised Diefendorf Bill Burt is executive sports
were very good (8-0) going by proposing on a bridge editor of The Eagle-Tribune.
into the game. My family while getting down on one You can email him at
watched the game in our knee earlier this month. She bburt@eagletribun.com.q
room. After the incredible
finish, a few of us had to go
to the bar to celebrate.”
Torrisi, while wearing his
Tom Brady jersey, saw this
“beautiful blonde” wearing
the Patriots tank top T-shirt,
Matt Torrisi, of Methuen, on left, is with his new fiance, Jayme walk by.
Diefendorf, of Salem, N.H. shortly after they were engaged “We were introduced and
earlier this month at the Azores Islands in Portugal. The duo met started talking and real-
after a Patriots game in Aruba about 20 months ago. They are ized we grew up so close
planning a wedding for some time in 2018.
to each other,” said Torrisi.
-Local sports-loving cou- Well, there is a little twist. “Jayme ended up saying
ple, living only eight min- They found each other, she’d buy me a drink. Next
utes apart their entire lives, indirectly, because of the thing you know we’re walk-
met in Aruba after a Patriots New England Patriots. To ing to the bar and she starts
game take it a step further, they talking to another guy. Her
are together because the friend came over and said,
ORANJESTAD - Matt Tor- Patriots finally beat the N.Y. ‘Jayme, what the hell are
risi, of Methuen, and Jayme Giants in a big two years you doing talking to that
Diefendorf, of Salem, N.H., ago. guy? One of us is taking this
grew up only eight minutes While both are athletes man (Matt) home.’ “
from each other. -- Torrisi played basketball Torrisi, 26, eventually got
at Central Catholic and her attention and his drink,
“I know. I’ve driven it a ton Diefendorf played field and there was conversa-
of times,” said Torrisi. hockey at Salem High -- tion, dancing and more
So it shouldn’t be any sur- they met after a Patriots conversation.
prise that they met, fell in game. “We walked back to her
love and, well, in the end, In Aruba. hotel and chatted more,”
Diefendorf accepted Tor- Both were on pre-Thanks- said Torrisi. “It was awe-
risi’s marriage proposal. giving family vacations, some.”: