CENTRE COUNTY — Alyta and Gary Abdullah’s love story began when they were six years old.
After Alyta’s family moved from Pittsburgh to State College, their paths crossed at church.
Though the couple noted that their first impressions of each other have long been forgotten, Gary recalled his crush on Alyta growing as they grew up together.
In high school, Gary would give Alyta rides to try to impress her, though his efforts were only partially successful.
“Back in high school, we went to junior prom together,” Gary shared. “She still just took my rides and ignored me.”
After graduating from Penn State, where she studied nursing, Alyta moved to Florida. Though she was states away, the two would occasionally message. But then Alyta and her daughters returned to State College, and the two were reunited, sparking the beginning of their relationship as adults.
“As adults, when she came back into town with my soon to be two daughters, I wanted to know how she was doing,” Gary said. “And that is how my long-term courtship began. I was determined to put in the work this time.”
Gary now works as the assistant dean of diversity and inclusion at the Bellisario College of Communications, but at the time, he hosted events for Penn State which gave him the opportunity to view different venues in the area.
After the couple attended a wedding where the reception was held at the Penn Stater — the event that Gary pinpoints as the point where he realized he was in love with Alyta — he knew he wanted to propose in the venue.
So, under the guise of needing assistance to view the location for “an event” he was planning for the university at the time, he invited Alyta along to what would be where he proposed spending the rest of their lives together.
“I just found it fishy that he needed me to go,” Alyta said. “I don’t know if he told me to wear something nice or ‘not bummy,’ something like that.”
“I surprised her, write that part down,” Gary joked.
Though Gary is sure he surprised her with the proposal, Alyta noted, “I knew something was happening that day.”
The pair got married in the Pasquirrilla Spiritual Center and held their reception in what is now the Graduate Hotel in State College.
For the couple, their marriage has been the foundation in a peaceful life together.
“He’s like my rock,” Alyta said. “I look forward to whenever he comes home to be my sounding board or just help me decompress.”
And for Gary, Alyta has helped expand his horizons and continually encourages him to try new things.
“If it was up to me, we’d stay in the same two or three places forever.” Gary shared. “I have learned to appreciate over time the importance of going and doing new things. She’s fundamentally changed in that way.”
