Captain Sandy Yawn is setting sail for the future with her fiancée, Leah Shafer. The couple announced their engagement on Sept. 18 and shared photos of Sandy, 58, proposing to Leah, 49, after five years of dating. “It’s official! I asked Leah to marry me, and she said YESSSSS,” the Below Deck Med star wrote on Instagram. Sandy told E! News after the engagement that she’s “been thinking about marrying Leah for years.” And it’s finally going to happen!
So, who is Leah Shafer? Beyond the fact that she’s engaged to a big Bravo star, there’s a lot to know about Leah. Get the scoop on her below!
Leah reached out to Sandy first.
Leah and Sandy started dating back in 2018. They met after Leah reached reached out to Sandy on Facebook that same year. “She sent me a nice message that said, ‘I came across your show, congratulations, many blessings,’ ” Sandy told Cheat Sheet in 2019. Leah said that the couple formed a “spiritual connection” right away. Sandy eventually moved to Denver, Colorado to be with Leah.
Leah is a skin aesthetician.
Leah has her own business called Skin by Leah that was founded in 2017. The company’s website lists Leah’s other professional accomplishments. She’s the founder and owner of a medical spa in Colorado and a certified Mac Cosmetics makeup artist. She previously worked in sales cosmetics at Nordstrom and Barneys New York.
Leah is a gospel singer.
Leah has released her own gospel music over the years. She has three albums, 2006’s Her Other Life, 2010’s A Woman On Fire, and 2012’s You’re My Everything, as well as several EPs and singles. Leah told Cheat Sheet that she connected with Sandy over their shared love for music.
“She has a passion for inspiring through music and the youth,” Leah said about Sandy. “And broken people and so do I coming from the gospel industry. That’s what brought us together.”
Leah was married before.
This will be Leah’s second marriage. She was previously married to Ross Shafer for 20 years. It’s unclear when Leah came out as a member of the LGBTQ community.
Leah is a mom.
Leah has a teenager daughter, Lauren “Lolo” Rae, from her first marriage. She posted a picture of Lauren on her first day of senior year of high school on August 23. “Can’t believe she is a senior in high school ! my baby girl forever @lauren.rs1,” Leah wrote. Lauren is on Instagram and her bio says she’s a digital creator.