Sheena and I first met over nine years ago at a little restaurant named Indigo Kitchen. I was the closing bartender, and she was the closing cocktail server just about every night we worked, so we ended up spending quite a bit of time together. During this time, we developed a close friendship. We told each other everything and provided support whenever life got a little rough for one of us.


Things stayed like this for a few years until Sheena went off and got a grown-up job, and I later moved into management at the restaurant. Even though we no longer worked together, we still made time to meet up every so often to catch up and stay in each other’s lives. During these years, we were still able to support one another, even though we didn’t see each other nearly as often.


Then, about four years ago in the summer of 2021, something changed. We met up like we normally would, but that small hangout blossomed into something more. We tried to be cautious at first, but soon after, we didn’t go a day without seeing each other. Not long after that, we attended a John Legend concert and decided to make it official—we were now courting.


The first year of our relationship was one of the best of my life. Sheena and I traveled a lot, always going on fun little vacations and making the most of our time off together. We both did some growing, learning how to be good for each other, and pushing each other to be the best version of ourselves. We were having an amazing time being in love and enjoying each other’s company, but little did we know, a very large twist was about to be thrown into our path…


Anjelita is Sheena’s younger half-sister, and we were presented with the opportunity to take over her parental care. I know that sounds like a huge decision, but for Sheena and me, it was a no-brainer. After a few court dates and some interviews, we were granted guardianship. This changed our day-to-day lives and how we lived in general, but it also granted us the wonderful opportunity to watch Lita grow from a kid into the young woman she is today.


The next couple of years flew by. We moved into a larger place after the three of us had spent six months in my studio apartment, which basically felt like an extended sleepover. We added an adorable little puppy to our group named Boba Fett, and we were all reminded how tough it is to raise a puppy. While we had our struggles here and there, I always felt like Sheena and I were in it together, ready to tackle whatever life had to offer us as a team. It was this confidence in us that made my decision to propose to her (and her decision to say yes) as easy as a two-inch putt on the golf course. I proposed to Sheena on June 30,2024 on the island of Kauai, Hawaii.

And that, my family and friends, brings us to this moment—where we are all gathering in a wonderful place across the world to celebrate. Sheena and I truly appreciate everyone taking the time and effort to make this trip to be with us for this special step in our relationship.