How a Boston blizzard sparked a decade of love

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“I have this image of him trudging through six-foot snowdrifts.”

By Maya Shavit

February 11, 2025 | 1:34 PM

2 minutes to read

Ben Robbins planned to introduce his mom’s hot chocolate recipe during a second date with Bre. Then the roads closed down.

“We knew there was going to be a snowstorm but neither of us knew the extent of it,” said Ben Robbins. The date was supposed to be a few hours, and ended up as an extended overnight stay at Bre’s Allston apartment during the historic winter storms dubbed ‘Snowmageddon‘ in 2015.

The suspension of work, responsibilities, and school allowed Ben and Bre to put aside their busy schedules and focus on each other for a concentrated period of time before intervening factors came into the picture, according to Ben. The two talked for hours with each other and Bre’s roommates while the snow piled on.

After two days with Bre and her roommates, Ben figured he could head back to his Cambridge apartment in the snowstorm.

“I have this image of him trudging through six-foot snowdrifts,” said Bre. “It was an adventure, but it provided an environment for us to bond.”

Bre and Ben met on Hinge and had their first date at Sarma. While it started out rocky, the pair bonded over their busy lives and shared love of music that carried into their “whirlwind” snowstorm experience.

“He was late and I was a busy grad student. I had classes to study for and work the next day,” said Bre. “But once a Deer Tick song came on, I decided I would stay and get to know him.”

Despite hitting it off, there were outstanding factors that put the couple in different locations for a year.

Ben was working through business and medical school in Boston while Bre was gearing up to change locations to complete a graduate fellowship in Portland, Oregon.

The pair decided to do long distance. They would meet up in Texas, Bre’s original hometown, and Wisconsin, Ben’s, or fly back and forth to visit each other every month. Their shared love of travel and adventure only brought them closer while they were living apart.

“It was definitely fast paced, but really, really fun,” said Bre.

When it came time for Ben to choose a destination for his residency after completing medical school, Massachusetts General Hospital was his top pick. Bre decided that she would move back to Boston. Shortly after, the couple got engaged and bought their first home together.

Now, the couple lives in Boston with their two daughters. Ben is in healthcare investing and Bre is an entrepreneur as they celebrate eight years of marriage and ten years of their relationship. They are looking forward to celebrating their Valentine’s Day in Paris.

“Right before Valentine’s Day ten years ago, he let it slip that he loved me and I said I love you too. That was the beginning of us in a relationship,” said Bre.