This was the day it all started. I had enjoyed one too many Bellinis not drunk, just tipsy enough to be bold. The Universe, and our bartender, Eduardo, did the rest when we sat next to each other at the bar at Shooters. While the spark was there, what followed was something even better. We built a friendship first. One rooted in laughter, easy conversation, and genuine connection. Looking back, that friendship became the strongest foundation for everything that came next.

This is when Dwayne casually decided to set the bar forever. He whisked me off to a local airport so I could fly a private plane, all while he sat there holding my champagne.

What I didn’t know at the time was that he had originally planned to take me to iFly because I’d mentioned wanting to do it. When he realized it was fully booked that day, he didn’t pivot, panic, or reschedule. He chartered a plane instead.

That was the moment I learned two things. One, this man listens. Two, when Plan A doesn’t work, he upgrades it. Prince Charming energy with a little Fifty Shades confidence. Win Win.

This was the first of many surprise adventures. Dwayne took me to New Orleans, a city I had never been to and one that happened to be his teenage playground. We rang in the New Year together in 2018, completely unaware that this trip was the beginning of a lifetime of exploring the world side by side.

In his excitement to pull off the perfect surprise, he forgot one small detail. To tell me to pack a coat. New Orleans greeted us with a very humbling 34 degree welcome.

Somehow, in true Dwayne fashion, he saved the day by finding a chariot biker who wrapped us in a blanket and pedaled us back to our hotel as all the streets were closed to vehicles due to the parade. Teeth chattering, laughter uncontrollable, and frozen smiles that turned into one of our favorite memories.

In 2020, while the world faced uncertainty, we found something unexpected… time together.

That May, my son, Cristian Chavez, was set to graduate from Florida State University. Instead of celebrating in the usual way, he came back home as everything began to shut down. What could have been a disappointing and uncertain moment quickly turned into one of the most meaningful seasons of our lives.

With nowhere to rush off to, we were given the gift of simply being together. During that time, Dwayne and Cris had the opportunity to truly get to know each other. What started as new introductions quickly grew into a genuinely deep bond, as they discovered how much they had in common.

Those months became filled with conversations, laughter, shared meals, and a sense of connection that might not have happened otherwise. It brought the three of us closer than ever and created the foundation of the family we are today.

It wasn’t the year we expected, but it became a chapter we will always be grateful for.