Meet Bill Gallop and Melissa

Our Guest Services team immediately alerted our Brand Ambassador, Travis, when Bill checked in for his tour- and for a good reason! One of the most surprising parts of his visit was discovering that he shares the EXACT same name as one of our own Howe Caverns managers. Considering “Gallop” isn’t a very common last name, it was an incredible coincidence. We just had to introduce them! What are the chances that someone from more than 3,364 miles away would share your exact name?

Born and raised in Sussex, England, Bill has called Sandy, Bedfordshire, home for the past 27 years. His love of travel has taken him all over the world, and this adventure brought him to Howe Caverns for the very first time. While visiting Niagara Falls, Bill and his girlfriend, Melissa, mentioned they were headed toward Syracuse. A hotel employee recommended they make the trip to Howe Caverns and they are so glad they did! The best adventures begin with a simple recommendation and sometimes they even come with an unforgettable coincidence!

Bill has worked in IT for 36 years and now works remotely for an American-based company. The flexibility of his job allows him to spend about half the year in the United States with Melissa while continuing to work. Melissa, on the other hand, has been a special education teacher since 2003 after leaving the IT industry, which is where the two first met. Their story began in 1999 when they worked for the same IT company, Bill in England and Melissa in New Jersey. When Melissa traveled to England for five weeks of training, the two became close friends. Life eventually took them in different directions, and both built families and careers of their own. Years later, they reconnected through the magic of Facebook in 2007, and that friendship eventually grew into a relationship.

When they’re not working, Bill and Melissa enjoy traveling and taking road trips whenever they can. Bill also has a unique side gig doing voice-over work for commercials and other projects, which makes for a pretty interesting and unique hobby.

When we asked Bill about his favorite part of the cave, he said the boat ride. He said it was the only cave he has ever visited that included one, making the experience even more memorable.

Between them, Bill and Melissa have two grown children, Bill has a 19 year old child, and Melissa has a 22 year old daughter. Together, they continue making memories through travel and new adventures. We’re honored that one of those adventures brought them to Howe Caverns. Thank you so much for visiting!