Wow we are finally here. Since 15 years old, I've been in love with Tonja. I chased and chased and chased until she finally gave in. Our neighborhood (Rankin) isn't that big, so there weren't many places that she would go, and I was close behind.

Tonja lived in Building 3, and I lived in Building 7 in The Palisades Plaza about 50 yards apart. She was an amazing young lady, and I knew this early on. When she gave me her phone number, it wasn't long before I called her, and we talked often. Her grandmother (Granny) was so sweet anytime I called. Eventually, we both moved out of the Palisades Plaza. I moved to Braddock and she moved to another house in Rankin. We were still able to see each other until she moved to South Carolina. We both cried the day before she left. Young love is always hard when you can't be together - lol! So, our 11th grade year, Tonja was gone and I was hurt, but she eventually came back to Pittsburgh for our Senior year in High school. This was 1996-1997.

To let everyone in on a little secret, she couldn't stand me when she came back home. I was a star football and Basketball player at the time, and it went to my head a little and she knew it because she was the closest person to me. At this time, she just tolerated me. I honestly was so focused on sports trying everything to earn a scholarship and take football or basketball as far as possible. So, we didn't spend the same amount of time together in our senior year. The only regret I have about that time was that I did not take Tonja to the Prom. If you came to the engagement party, you came to our version of our Prom together.

At 18 years old, we took a trip to Ocean City, Maryland with Tonja's best friend of all of these years, Claudia (Tita) and one of my friends, Charlton (Chawt) - Building 1. I had been out of Pittsburgh many times by this point because of sports, but I had never been anywhere like this before. We had a great time and we made it back safely. A trip like that just opened two young people's eyes to how much more this world has to offer.

Tonja went to Atlanta, Georgia (Morris Brown College/HBCU) and I went to New Brunswick, NJ (Rutgers University/PWI) - our inside joke. During our college years, I traveled to see Tonja in Atlanta since we weren't teenagers anymore. We both were experiencing what college had to offer. Tonja pledged Delta Sigma Theta and I was a 4-year Letterman winner at Rutgers University.

I often tell Tonja how grateful and thankful I am to have her back in my life. She was a very bright light at a very hard and dark time. At this time, I hadn't seen or spoke with Tonja in 13 years (and that is just to answer the question some people may have). Yes, I thought about her, I prayed for her, but I didn't think we would see each other ever again. We are now here as OUR special day approaches. I'm so very thankful and appreciative of you, my Love!

I want to say a very special Thank You to Letiticia Poston and Claudia Lozada because I always knew who to get in touch with when I needed to speak with Tonja.

Love is an action.

You can't just say it,

but you must consistently show it!

The supreme happiness

of the rest of this life

consist in the conviction

that I know I'm loved by you!

T&D