Stephanie Rice surprised her fans after announcing that she is engaged to her boyfriend Mark Lassey, after just seven months of dating.
The 36-year-old Australian swimming legend took to Instagram on Thursday to confirm the joyful news, weeks after making their romance public for the first time.
In January, Stephanie revealed she had “given her life to God” and the Christian faith, shortly before beginning her relationship with the Perth pastor.
Lassey, 46, has been the senior pastor of Perth’s Kingdom City Church since June 2015 and, according to an online profile, is “committed to creating a thriving community and mentoring individuals transformed by the gospel.”
The energetic preacher is the father of three adult children from his first marriage, which ended in early 2021 after 25 years.
He is also active on social media and frequently shares photos of himself giving sermons on Instagram, along with heartfelt messages about his faith.
Although currently based in Perth, he often flies around the Asia-Pacific region as part of his role, which is how he met Dubai-based Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice earlier this year.
Lassey serves as executive pastor at Kingdom City, where he handles many of the administrative and operational aspects of the church.
Stephanie Rice shocked her followers earlier this week by announcing that she is engaged to her boyfriend Mark Lassey, after just seven months of dating. They both appear in the photo
Born in Adelaide, South Australia, after finishing high school in 1997, he completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Business Administration at the University of South Australia.
Stephanie and Mark met through mutual friends, and he recently took to Instagram to thank the Lord for their successful relationship.
“If there’s one word that sums up how we feel right now, it’s gratitude. Thankful to God for bringing us together at the perfect time,” Lassey wrote alongside a gallery of photos of them.
‘God has been so good and present every step of our way, giving us unwavering faith that our future will be even more extraordinary through Him.’
Mark is also a father to three sons: Tyler, Joel and Luke, all of whom Stephanie has already met as their budding relationship has gone from strength to strength.
This comes after Stephanie took to Instagram to share a series of sweet snaps from the moment Mark popped the question. DubaiThe luxurious Atlantis The Royal hotel.
The 36-year-old swimming legend took to Instagram on Thursday to confirm the happy news, just weeks after first going public with her romance with Mark in July.
The Australian swimming legend took to Instagram on Thursday to confirm the joyous news. In January, Stephanie revealed she had “given her life to God” and the Christian faith, shortly before going public with her romance with the Perth pastor.
The couple, who met about seven months ago, looked very happy as they smiled from ear to ear and shared a kiss, while Stephanie showed off her sparkling diamond.
Stephanie looked effortlessly glamorous in a gorgeous white floral dress and strappy heels during the photo-perfect outdoor hotel proposal.
She accentuated her stunning features with a high-glam makeup palette and looked happier than ever as she snuggled up to her new fiancé.
Mark looked dapper in a white shirt, cream trousers and a black blazer as he presented Stephanie with a diamond ring from Perth-based Charles Edward Jewellers.
The newly engaged couple showed off their affection and shared a romantic kiss after Mark popped the big question.
In a caption, Stephanie wrote: ‘To new beginnings and second chances… Yes, to a life with you.’
He concluded the post with a Bible verse, writing: “Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you the desire of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).
Stephanie had been quietly dating the Australian Shepherd for five months before officially confirming their romance.
They met through a mutual friend and then began a long-distance romance as Mark lives in Perth while Stephanie moved to Dubai in November.
“When we met almost 5 months ago, we both knew this was different,” she gushed in an Instagram post alongside cozy snaps of her and Mark.
‘From the beginning there was a deep intentionality between us, and due to the complexities of our lives we wanted to keep these first few months among family and close friends, and enjoy the wonder of falling in love.’
“But, as God would have it, that first phone conversation made us feel that this was exactly the destiny we were both meant to have,” she continued before detailing their long-distance romance.
‘Living across the world, in different time zones, has had its challenges (thank God for Zoom), but God has been so good and so present every step of our journey, giving us unwavering faith that our future will be even more extraordinary through Him.
Lassey has been the senior pastor of Perth’s Kingdom City Church since June 2015 and, according to an online profile, is “committed to creating a thriving community and leading people transformed by the gospel.”
Lassey is also a father to three sons: Tyler, Joel, and Luke, all of whom Stephanie has already met, as their budding relationship has only grown stronger. All pictured
“If there’s one word that sums up how we feel right now, it’s gratitude. Grateful to God, grateful for having come together at the perfect time, grateful for a new beginning.
‘Grateful for the peace and strength we found in each other, grateful for loving friends and family, grateful for an amazing church and mentors who support our journey, and most of all, grateful for each other.’
“I honestly never thought I would be that person showing up for prayer nights, alone, in a new country, connecting with a community through a church,” Stephanie recently shared about her journey with the church.
“But here I am and it’s so special and it’s helped me feel very supported in this new home in Dubai.”
Kingdom City began in Perth in 2003 and has since gone global with branches in Africa, Europe and Asia, as well as the Middle East.
Stephanie was previously romantically involved with former soldier Dane Christison, whom she met at an Australian church.
The couple spent their holidays together in the United States during Christmas 2023, but she publicly announced their separation just a few months later, in May 2024.
Kingdom City began in Perth in 2003 and has since gone global with branches in Africa, Europe and Asia, as well as the Middle East.
Stephanie had deleted pictures of her boyfriend from her Instagram page as early as March and had not mentioned him in a few weeks.
The athlete then spoke about how happy she was that their relationship was over.
“When I moved, I really wanted to share a lot more of the journey with you in real time,” she said.
‘I was going through a very deep healing. At the time, I was in a very difficult relationship. When we separated, I felt like God’s peace was upon me. I felt free. I felt happy.
Stephanie said her new life in Dubai has been a weight off her shoulders.
“For the first time, I realized how much weight I was carrying. I felt like I had lifted everything off my shoulders and that I am now in an incredible place where I feel very happy, very content,” she said.
“God is so good. I’m seeing so much fruit from the wonderful things God has given me, and I want to be able to share so much more of what’s happened in the last six months,” she said.
“Now I have much more clarity, much more peace and much more happiness.”
Stephanie had been quietly dating the Australian Shepherd for five months before officially confirming their romance.