In this recurring monthly special, Nonahood News will be featuring those who’ve graduated from Lake Nona High School and will recognize the achievements they’ve made since. Some will have been a part of the first graduating class. Others might have graduated a few years later. Few have stayed in the Lake Nona area, and many have explored the world or are still doing so. Let’s see where life’s journey has taken them so far!
Name: Jamie Gehring Name: Lexi Gehring
Age: 25 Age: 25
Year Graduated: 2011 Year Graduated: 2011
Occupation: U.S. Air Force Pilot Occupation: Emergency Department Registered Nurse
Current Location: Klamath Falls, Oregon
This month’s alumni met in high school, and their relationship bloomed as the years progressed.
“Jamie and I met at Lake Nona High School. We were friends but never super close. I was always impressed by his dedication to his dream of attending the Air Force Academy and eventually becoming an Air Force pilot. After graduating high school, we lost touch as we were both busy with college. Over Christmas break our sophomore year of college, Jamie texted me out of the blue and asked to hang out and catch up. After two dates, we continued talking after we both went back to school – him to Colorado and me to Alabama. We dated long distance for the next two and a half years and then got married after graduating college,” said Mrs. Gehring.
Having both lived in Lake Nona for a long time – Jamie since he was born in 1993 until he moved after high school graduation in 2011, and Lexi since 2006 when her family moved from downtown Orlando, then leaving in 2012 to attend Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. – must have made leaving their hometown difficult. “We are thankful that both of our families [still] live in the Lake Nona area because it makes it easier when we go home to visit,” stated Lexi.
Too few are actually able to say they’ve followed and met their high school goals or even lifelong dreams. The Gehring couple are among those elite few who can say they’ve made it. Jamie’s post-high school goal was to become an Air Force Pilot, as it was his childhood dream.
“I was fortunate enough to go to school at the Air Force Academy and get sent to pilot training following that. I started pilot training in March 2016 in Columbus, Mississippi. Although pilot training was busy and challenging, it was so much fun. The flying in itself was awesome, but the people I went through the program with made it a blast. I finished up pilot training in April 2017 and was assigned to the F-15C Eagle. Following that, I went through IFF (Intro to Fighter Fundamentals), which is a quick course to teach the basics of being a fighter pilot. Lexi and I moved out to Oregon in October 2017 and should be here until the end of June. It looks like we will be going to Okinawa for my next assignment. The journey has been awesome so far and a dream come true. It is very satisfying flying a single-seat jet and still seems unreal that I get to do this. I am thankful that Lexi puts up with the long hours away from home and is always supportive,” said Mr. Gehring excitedly.
Lexi had planned on going to college while in high school, but her vision of her future wasn’t exactly as crystal clear as her husband’s.
“After graduating high school, I decided to spend a year at Valencia College to give me some time to decide on a major. This also allowed me to take the time to travel with my family to China to adopt my little sister. I finally decided that I wanted to study nursing, so the next year I moved to Birmingham, Ala., to attend Samford University. Thank goodness I chose nursing because it is a great career for a military spouse. I can get a job anywhere,” exclaimed Mrs. Gehring.
Since the couple both have pretty high-paced and stressful careers, they truly take advantage of the time they have to spend together. “We love to relax, cook food, and hang out with our friends. We have really enjoyed traveling and exploring new parts of the country, especially since moving to the West Coast. We are always planning our next weekend adventure,” Lexi said.
Jamie agrees. “I am a big fan of hanging out with my buddies and drinking some beers. Lexi and I are always planning out our next trip out of town to explore a new part of the greatest country on the planet. Birmingham, Charleston, and Bend, Oregon, are some of our favorite places to visit. While in Mississippi, Lexi and I got a puppy and immediately regretted doing so,” Jamie joked. “After a few weeks, we got the hang of it and figured out how [to] take care of him while balancing our jobs. One lost security deposit later, we love George and enjoy taking him out to breweries and on weekend trips when the weather is nice.”
When asked where the couple sees themselves in five years, it includes crossing the ocean and leaving the country for a new continent. “It is difficult to say where we will be physically in the next five years because the Air Force tells us where to go and when. As of right now, we will be moving to Okinawa, Japan, at the end of the summer for several years. In the next five years, we plan to start a family and continue our adventures on the other side of the world,” said Lexi. Her husband hopes he will still be flying the Eagle either in Okinawa or in England. “Wherever we are, the picture will include George and maybe some kids eventually,” added Jamie. Lexi added that being an Air Force spouse has been quite the learning experience for her. “I now know way more about airplanes than I ever cared to know, and that mustache March is the worst month to be a pilot wife. I have also met the best people in the close-knit pilot community.
I am very excited about the future and our upcoming move across the world. I am so thankful that I met Jamie way back in high school, and we are now on this exciting adventure together.”
But, hey, it’s all in the name of love!
Written for current and future Lake Nona alumni by a Lake Nona alumna. Check back in to our June issue to learn about our next Nona graduate(s)!
