A man’s throwback video showing the early days of his high school romance has captured the attention of millions of viewers on Instagram—thanks to a simple but resonant, uplifting message: young love can last.
Logan Reynolds, 34, from Kansas, posted the video to his Instagram account @the_rehumanist on August 8. It shows a series of photos of him and his wife, Arielle, 36, from their first date as teenagers to their wedding and life today with three children. The post has been liked more than 7.4 million times and applauded by viewers who say it offered a rare glimpse of something genuine online.
“I think a lot of people appreciated the lightheartedness of it,” Reynolds told Newsweek. “Whether we end up with them or not, we all have that one person from high school who we think of as our first crush or even first love.”
In the short video, viewers see the pair through the years—starting with a photo from the early 2000s of the couple playing basketball in the street, a moment Reynolds described as his first-ever date.
“I was pretty nervous because I was a sophomore and she was a senior,” the on-screen text reads. “That’s right, I was courting an older woman…She already had her driver’s license…So, what were the chances she would go for a guy like me?”
The montage continues with more photos, showing their evolving relationship.
“We didn’t really give off the same vibes,” the narration continues. “Still, I thought that if I hang around her with long enough, played enough guitar, she would notice…Turns out it worked.”
Wedding photos appear next, followed by a more reflective moment: “I somehow tricked her into thinking that I was a worthy suitor, and I still look over at her and think I can’t believe she fell for it…It’s weird and beautiful to watch someone you have known since you were a teenager ease so gracefully into middle age.”
Reynolds said the video came together quickly and unexpectedly.
“It was our anniversary and while I had some other things planned for the day I thought, ‘I can’t just put out a boring old ‘Happy Anniversary’ post. I should tell a story!’” he said. “Creating videos has always kind of been my way of processing my life and emotions, and this video was a great example of that.”
He added that the response was both “surreal” and overwhelmingly positive.
“There is an underlying feeling in our culture today that couples just don’t stay together like they used to,” he said. “I think people really connect with stories that speak to the idea that love can endure and grow, even when it begins in high school.”
Reynolds, who has since become a full-time content creator, launched his account in 2023 under the name @the_rehumanist. He describes it as a creative side project focused on the intersection of community, nature and technology.
“To be honest I didn’t actually expect it to work, or for anyone to care about what I have to say,” he said. “But two years on there are so many new fellow humans joining in. It’s been fun!”
While his storytelling approach is often light, Reynolds said he was struck by how much the video resonated globally.
“What really struck me was how many people from other countries around the world related to it,” he said. “It shows that wanting to love and to be loved is such a universal experience that transcends place and culture.”
Now parents to three children, Reynolds and his wife are still surprised by the reach of their anniversary story—but not displeased with it.
“Arielle and I decided that if what we end up being known for is being in love with each other, then that’s a legacy we are absolutely willing to embrace.”