Couple's Love Story Could Net Them $10,000 Ring

Most people like to get some sleep on a cross-country red-eye flight. Zack Folan decided to stay awake, and may have met his new fiancée in the process.

On a flight from Phoenix to Philadelphia in 2010, Folan found himself sitting next to Jessa Henry, a recent college graduate who was making her way back to her hometown in Indiana.

They got to talking. He showed her pictures of his kids. She talked about her career goals. Before they knew it, the sun was up and they had landed. He headed back home to Odenton, while she went on home, too.

But they continued to talk, on email, online chat and Skype. For five months, they talked nearly every day and tried to meet up and least once each month. Once, she surprised him—and sold him—by snagging a pair of tickets to a Notre Dame football game.

Now, they live together in the Seven Oaks community of Odenton, and Folan hopes their story is a winner.

Folan shot a movie about their experience and entered into the Saxon's Diamond Centers 60 Second Love Story competition. It features stop-motion video with himself and his two daughters, telling the story of how he and Henry met.

The video has been selected as one of eight finalists, and the grand-prize winner gets a $10,000 engagement ring. The public has from now until July 29 to vote for the winner.

“It’s supposed to be for the best story conveyed in the most creative manner,” Folan said. “I felt like my film was creative, but the story is also like a movie. That doesn’t happen in real life.”

The public is being asked to vote for the winning couple on Facebook.

Folan works in sales with the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards. He is a 2000 Arundel High graduate and grew up in Odenton. Henry now works in marketing for a firm in Baltimore.

The story of the couple meeting on the flight is compelling, but Folan said he hopes people are also moved by Henry’s affection for his two daughters, Verona (age 5) and Amelia (age 3.) Though Henry joked that she had no experience with kids, she impressed Folan when she arrived on visits with handmade gifts.

“They love her to death,” Folan said. “My girls are very friendly and open to talking to new people. They love to show her things they make at school … she’s absolutely stepped into that phase of ‘bonus mom.’”

Folan shares custody of the girls with his ex-wife, who is also an Odenton resident. For that reason, he’s appreciative of Henry’s willingness to move from Indiana last year.

A $10,000 engagement ring might make for the best “Thank You” of all.

The public can vote for Zack Folan’s video between now and July 29. The winner will be announced on July 31. Please note that it is not possible to vote via mobile devices.