A Chance Seatmate Turned Lifelong Partner

Meggy Meza, a Los Angeles resident, was traveling to visit her brother studying abroad when a layover in London led to an unplanned encounter. While seated on the long-haul flight, she noticed a fellow passenger, Freddie Gershinson, 33, from London. After he dropped his earphones, Meza helped retrieve them, and the two struck up a conversation that lasted the duration of the flight. Their interaction quickly moved beyond a casual chat, culminating in a kiss before the plane landed.

Newsweek

Following the flight, Meza and Gershinson entered a long-distance relationship, communicating daily via FaceTime. Meza booked a return trip to London three months later, where she met his friends and family, solidifying their bond. The couple spent more than two years living apart—Meza in Los Angeles and Gershinson in London—missing milestones such as birthdays and graduations. Despite the difficulties, they maintained that “long distance sucks, but with the right person you can make it work” “Long distance sucks, but with the right person you can make it work,” — Meggy Meza.

Newsweek

Eventually, the pair settled in Los Angeles, describing their everyday routine as “kind of boring” in a positive sense. They now share evenings over coffee, spend Friday nights at home with their dog, and enjoy weekends golfing or at the beach. Their partnership also sparked Meza’s new writing career; she began a blog about long-distance romance and is working on a novel inspired by their story. Reflecting on the journey, she said, “It’s surreal to think back to the fact we boarded that flight as two strangers and left still not knowing how different our lives would be years later” “It's surreal to think back to the fact we boarded that flight as two strangers and left still not knowing how different our lives would be years later,” — Meggy Meza.

Newsweek

• “My brother was studying abroad and we were flying out there to visit,” “My brother was studying abroad and we were flying out there to visit,” — Meggy Meza

Newsweek

• “Long distance sucks, but with the right person you can make it work,” “Long distance sucks, but with the right person you can make it work,” — Meggy Meza

Newsweek

• “It's surreal to think back to the fact we boarded that flight as two strangers and left still not knowing how different our lives would be years later," Meza said.” “It's surreal to think back to the fact we boarded that flight as two strangers and left still not knowing how different our lives would be years later,” — Meggy Meza

Newsweek