College sound recording project unexpectedly sparks nearly two decades of love for Aeryn and Patrick Dillon

Rochester, New York – The beginning of Aeryn Dillon and Patrick Dillon’s relationship can be traced back not to a crowded café or a bustling city street, but to the quiet rhythms of the natural world. Long before they built careers or settled into their life together, the two bonded over something far simpler—the sounds that surround us when the world slows down.

For Aeryn (Daboin) Dillon and Patrick Dillon, nature didn’t just provide a backdrop to their story. It became part of the soundtrack.

Their paths crossed during their third year at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where both students were pursuing creative fields. Aeryn, studying new media design, and Patrick, enrolled in film and animation, found themselves signing up for the same partner-based sound recording class. At the time, neither could have guessed that a classroom assignment would mark the beginning of a relationship that would stretch nearly two decades.

Patrick approached Aeryn with a simple question—would she like to partner up for the quarter-long project?

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What followed was a semester that took them far beyond the walls of a lecture hall. The assignment required students to capture sound in creative ways, which meant venturing outdoors and searching for the hidden layers of everyday noise. For Aeryn and Patrick, those recording sessions turned into small adventures.

Cornfields, quiet fields, and open spaces around the Rochester region became their temporary studios.

“When telling stories through sound the possibilities are endless. We’d find ourselves in the middle of a cornfield at night recording the sound of crickets or hauling around a barbecue to record the sizzling noise,” Aeryn said.

What began as a school project quickly became something more. The shared curiosity about sound and storytelling gave them hours of conversation and exploration, laying the groundwork for a connection that would only deepen over time.

The collaboration proved successful in more ways than one. Not only did their project earn a strong grade, but it also sparked the start of a relationship that has now lasted 18 years.

Their love for exploring nature continued to shape their time together. Shortly after they began dating, the couple spent their first summer side by side in Maine. Aeryn had already planned to work there as a teaching assistant during the season. Rather than spend months apart, Patrick found a way to join her by securing an internship at the same workshop.

The arrangement turned that summer into something memorable.

“It felt a little bit like we went to summer camp together in Camden. We were right by the ocean and spent all our free time swimming and hiking,” Aeryn said.

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After graduating in 2009, their professional lives carried them into demanding creative industries. Aeryn’s career developed in advertising and marketing, where she worked as a creative director in New York City and Los Angeles. Over the years, she collaborated with major agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi and companies including Honey, PayPal, and EarnIn.

Patrick followed a different creative path within the film industry. He spent much of his career working behind the scenes as a freelance grip and lighting technician, helping shape the technical aspects of film production.

While both found success in their respective fields, the pace of those industries eventually began to wear on them. Tight deadlines, long hours, and the constant pressure of large-scale projects made them rethink the kind of life they wanted moving forward.

A turning point came in 2020 when Aeryn was diagnosed with cancer. The experience forced the couple to pause and reflect, considering what truly mattered for their future.

“We did the whole big city thing for a while. We’re grateful for those times, but we wanted more serenity and a little bit more of a laid-back lifestyle,” Patrick said.

That search for calm eventually led them to Bend, Oregon, a mountain town surrounded by forests, rivers, and open landscapes. The move marked a shift toward a slower, more grounded way of living.

Patrick now works as a lift electrical technician at Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort, helping maintain the equipment that carries skiers up the mountain each winter. Aeryn continues her career as a creative director but now works remotely, allowing her to balance her professional life with the quieter pace they sought.

More importantly, Aeryn has been cancer-free for more than four years—a milestone that adds deeper meaning to the life they have built together.

This year, the couple will celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary, another chapter in a relationship that began with the hum of insects and the crackle of a barbecue grill during a college assignment.

Despite nearly two decades together, both say their partnership thrives because they continue to grow as individuals as well as a couple.

“We are very much a package deal of ‘Patrick and Aeryn’ because of how long we’ve been together, but we put a lot of work into ourselves as individuals so we can become the best versions of Patrick and Aeryn that we can be for each other,” Patrick said.

Looking back, it seems fitting that their story began with sound. After all, relationships—like nature—often unfold in subtle ways. Sometimes the quietest moments end up echoing the longest.