Tim Brewster thought a rainy day was a perfectly good reason to postpone a lighthouse visit. His boyfriend, Kyle Friend, had eight months of planning behind a very different idea.
The former professional beach volleyball teammates got engaged beside Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, during a New England trip the weekend before their October 9 interview with Outsports.
Kyle had arranged their rings, secretly hired photographer Leah Carter and chosen the spot for his proposal. When the rain stopped, he got down on one knee with the lighthouse behind them. Tim said yes.
It was a romantic milestone for two men whose partnership began on the sand.
They started playing together in summer 2022. That November, during a tournament trip to Australia, Tim told Kyle he had feelings for him. Kyle’s answer was that those feelings were mutual.
There was already something important between them. Kyle had been openly gay in professional volleyball since 2013, and seeing him live comfortably as himself helped Tim navigate his own journey toward acceptance.
In their earlier account of becoming a couple, Tim described the difference it made to know an athlete who was both out and confident. Kyle’s example helped him on and off the court.
That gives the engagement an especially lovely layer. Someone who helped make an openly gay future feel possible is now the person Tim plans to share that future with.
Their sporting lives have taken different directions. Tim, 26, remains a competitive beach volleyball player.
Kyle, 37, has retired from professional competition and works as a volleyball commentator.
Tim says his LA28 Olympic qualification cycle begins in December, while Kyle faces a busy commentary schedule. They have not set a wedding date, but are looking toward fall 2028.
For now, they have a proposal to celebrate—and photographs of a moment Kyle had quietly been preparing for months.
Sometimes a rainy sightseeing trip is worth insisting on. Congratulations, Kyle and Tim.
📷 Leah Carter / @leahs\_lens\_
@kylefriend10 @timbrewster
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