JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When Juan and Madison Pestana went on their first date in 2023, Juan vowed to always keep a bouquet of fresh flowers on the kitchen table. For nearly two years, he did exactly that.

Their love story was a whirlwind: She was an introverted medical student who grew up in Wendell, North Carolina, and he was a charismatic construction business owner from Caracas, Venezuela.

When they first met at a sushi bar, Madison didn’t expect much. That changed when she found herself in her car at 2 a.m., still talking the night away.

“He is literally my best friend … (and) the only person I’ve ever thought truly understood me as a person,” she said. “He truly is the love of my life.”

Since that first date, the Pestanas hadn’t spent more than six days apart – until immigration age

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