Some love stories begin with a spark. Jason’s began with a pair of scissors—and a kindergarten crush.
In the fall of 1992, at St. Edmund’s Primary School in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, four-year-old Jason Beirne developed a crush on his American classmate, Liana Hone. Overwhelmed by what he would later describe as “not knowing what to do with all his big feelings for Liana,” Jason did what any emotionally overloaded kindergartener might do—he cut off a chunk of her hair. His mum had to break the news to Liana’s mum, and instead of a playground scandal, a friendship blossomed. The two families began carpooling to school, and Jason and Liana became inseparable comrades (except when Jason claimed Liana’s Pogs).
Pictured: Jason in the top row, 5th from the right, next to Liana, 6th from the right.
They shared countless hours together in Mrs. O’Neil’s class for two years, and later in Mrs. Hague’s class for a third. Before Liana moved back to the U.S. in 1996, Jason gave her a kiss—her first. It was a sweet, innocent goodbye that neither of them knew would echo across decades.
A Love Story Decades in the Making
Despite the distance, they stayed in touch. Over the years, their connection flickered through emails, social media, and occasional visits. When Liana flew into London to visit her grandparents in Wales, she and Jason would sometimes meet up—always happy to see each other, always just a little out of sync. One of them always seemed to be in a relationship when the other wasn’t.
In 2008, Liana studied abroad at the University of Warwick. It seemed like the stars might finally align—but Jason was living in France at the time, working on his budding career in the pool industry. Their paths missed again, like ships in the night. Still, the connection never faded. There was always a sense of “what if?”—a quiet thread that stretched across years and continents, with both of them blissfully unaware of the others’ feelings.
In February of 2022, the pair both finally found themselves single at the same time. Jason took a risk and entered the flirtation zone. It took awhile for Liana to catch on, but once she did, their love story, built on 30+ years of friendship and trust, began to blossom at lightning speed. By June 2023—thirty years after that first haircut—they decided to try to make a long distance relationship work.
A reconnection turned into a relationship, and a relationship turned into a pair of proposals. On Leap Day 2024, Liana proposed (via video chat!), honoring an ancient Irish tradition (in which the girl proposed to the boy!). The Claddagh ring didn’t fit, but the moment did. A few weeks later, Jason proposed in person on the Jurassic Coast of Exmouth. “Because our love is as old as a Brontosaurus,” they joked. “It’s been 84 years. Okay, 30. But still.”
Pictured: Jason in the top row, 5th from the right, next to Liana, 6th from the right.
The Pool Guy with a Plan
While their love story simmered quietly in the background, Jason was building a career in the aquatics industry. He started in the South of France, maintaining 160 pools for a multinational tour operator. “I liked cleaning pools,” he once told Liana. “I’m like Forrest Gump and his lawn mower.” It was simple, satisfying work—but it was also the beginning of something much bigger.
Over the years, Jason rose through the ranks, becoming a design engineer, then a design manager, and eventually Head of Operations at Clear Water Revival, one of the UK’s leading natural pool companies. He earned industry awards, led multimillion-pound projects, and developed systems that improved quality, communication, and sustainability. But through it all, he kept thinking about the kind of life he wanted to build—and who he wanted to build it with.
Love as a Compass
Jason didn’t just fall into the pool industry—he chose it with purpose. When Liana was living in Santa Barbara for college and later in Miami for graduate school, Jason realized that if he ever wanted to be with her, he’d need a career that worked in warm climates. So he started at the bottom—cleaning pools, learning the systems, and building a foundation.
“I thought if I could work in a hot climate, even if it’s just cleaning pools, there’s a chance” he said. “I started and thought I’d carry on because one day I might be with her.”
While Liana was pursuing her academic career—earning degrees, conducting research, and eventually becoming a professor at the University of Florida—Jason was quietly climbing the ladder in the aquatics world. From pool boy to design engineer to Head of Operations, he built a career that could travel with him, just in case love ever called him across the ocean.
That quiet hope became a guiding force. As their relationship deepened, Jason’s vision for his work evolved. He wasn’t just designing pools—he was designing spaces for connection, for healing, for joy. Natural pools, with their ecological elegance and sensory richness, became a metaphor for the life he and Liana were creating together: grounded in science, inspired by nature, and full of love.
Two Paths, One Purpose
Liana’s work in health science has always focused on how environments shape human behavior. Jason’s work in natural pool design is about creating leisure environments that invite presence, play, and peace. Together, they’ve found a shared language—one that blends research and design, data and intuition, chlorine-free with lots of chemistry.
As they prepare to marry in September 2025, Jason and Liana are not just planning a wedding. They’re honoring a story that began in childhood, paused for decades, and returned with a passionately aligned purpose. They’re designing a future where natural pools aren’t just luxury features, but tools for wellness. One where science and design speak to each other. One where love, quite literally, changes the landscape.
A Bright Future in Florida?
After numerous trips across the pond to visit Liana in Gainesville, Jason has grown into an avid Florida Gators fan despite Liana’s allegiance to her alma mater—the U. In the shadow of Ben Hill Griffin stadium, (where Liana’s department is situated!), Jason is eager to bring his life long dream to full fruition and one day share his award winning British design and sustainable construction with the swamp, the greater Gainesville area, hot spots like Miami and Ft Lauderdale, and everywhere in between. You can find his portfolio online at www.jasonbeirne.com (and maybe even cross his path at his favorite brewery, First Magnitude!)
