I want to take you all on a little journey. A journey that is ten years in the making, and one that is far from over. I don’t believe in fate or destiny, but I do believe everything happens for a reason. Each event, every experience in life leads you to the next. Remove one, and you’re living a completely different life surrounded by different people.

20 years ago, while living in different parts of the country, Veronica and I experienced the worst moment in our lives. Events that changed both our lives, and events that if removed, would have never led us to each other. In the early months of 2004, I was dealing with unknown stomach issues. In early April, I went to the hospital with horrible stomach pain and had to force the hospital to admit me. A few days later, my intestines perforated, I flatlined and was rushed to emergency surgery. For the next 10 years, I battled depression and suppressed it with alcohol. I ruined every relationship I had and left NYC to come to Utah to be a truck driver.

During that same year, in August of 2004, Veronica went through her moment in life, her ability to walk. While out with her friends, Veronica fell asleep in the back seat of her friend's car. While asleep, her friend crashed into the cement wall on the highway, and because she was laying down, she slammed into the door causing an incomplete fracture of her spinal cord. She, too, battled depression in the coming years.

One evening, we were both scrolling a dating app and I saw her profile but didn’t say anything to her. After she saw that I looked at her profile and didn’t message, she had the audacity to write to me and yell at me. That message led to a 5 hour phone conversation where we both spilled the beans. The first day we met, I was both in awe and upset at her for how she looked. In awe of her beauty and sooo upset because she told me she was short, but not 3 foot 3 short (lol). But I let that small detail slide. A few months later, Veronica tells me she’s pregnant.

The first three years of our relationship were the hardest ones. I was still drinking and in denial about being depressed. I was not the greatest person at all. I would make empty promises and be mean and awful to everyone around. Through it all, Veronica never once faltered. She kept trying and trying to help me and I wanted none of it. It wasn’t until I almost destroyed this relationship where I realized who and what was standing or rolling in front of me (wink,wink, because I can’t stand). I quit drinking, became more spiritual and loving and dependable and it all happened because of her. She helped me gain my confidence again and love for life. Our boys Donovan, Devynn and Jullian and our daughters Ariana and Aniyah helped me be dependable again. From that point on, I became the man I told our sons to be and the partner I told Veronica I could be during that exhausting 5 hour conversation (lol).

Now let me tell you something about my bride to be. Veronica Hess is one of the strongest women I have ever met in my life. What she was able to do on her own with two boys is short of amazing. Donovan and Devynn have turned out to be two amazing young men and she did it all on her own. With the challenges she's had to face, her love of life and family has stayed strong, even on her worst days. Not only did she raise two boys into amazing young men, she helped rebuild me into the best version of myself.

So here we are, a decade of great memories and bad ones. A story of two different people from two different walks of life finding each other to become one. Remove one event from either of our time lines, and we would never have met, and we never found our soulmates.

Thank you all for being a part of our special day. For taking time out of your lives to celebrate ours. We love you all and God bless.

Registry

Thank you so very much!