🎙️ QUICK SIP: A WGI Love Story — The Tampa Independent Proposal 💍

We’re kicking off our Quick Sip bonus series with a love story straight from retreat! Ricardo sits down with Tampa Independent’s very own Madison Nelson (@maddylynn22) and John Shirella (@drummerboymercy), whose surprise proposal at WGI Finals had the crowd (and their teammates) cheering and crying all at once. 💍💙

From their 32 Count Life Stories to their first days teaching at River Ridge High School, this episode spills all the tea — including how the whole thing went down, the behind-the-scenes nerves, and how press-on nails almost became the real emergency. 😂

We also chat about what it’s like being in a relationship where pageantry always comes first, why it actually works, and how they balance rehearsals, performances, and life together.

✨ Then we dive into Water We Doing?, where Maddie comes in hot about VE shoes that don’t let you point your feet (jazz shoe nation rise up), and John’s ready to cancel those booming metronome speakers in the lot. And yes, Ricardo might finally be convinced to stop complaining about percussion people in the lot… maybe.

💖 Finally, they wrap things up with a Gush and Go that celebrates the next chapter in their lives — together.

📲 Want to be on the podcast or have a Quick Sip-worthy story? Hit the form in our bio or DM us!
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