Connect How did your love story begin?

Debbie and I met as teenagers in Far Rockaway, Queens, but our love story didn’t begin with romance. It began with friendship. For 44 years we’ve remained connected through different seasons of life, including marriage, divorce, loss, raising children, career challenges, and personal growth. Twenty years ago we chose each other, and that choice became a marriage, a blended family of seven children, and a story now known as 2KidsFromRockaway™.

What is your favorite memory you've shared as a couple?

Our favorite memory wasn’t a vacation or a special event. It was a conversation. During a difficult season, Debbie asked me a simple question: “What if she doesn’t change?” That question challenged me to stop waiting for life to happen and start choosing the life God intended for me. It changed the direction of our future. Everything we have built together over the last 20 years began with that one honest conversation.

What would you do with $20,000?

We would use the $20,000 to transform our story into a movement. Through our book, videos, community events, and outreach, we want to remind people that lasting love is still possible. In a world that celebrates quick exits, our story represents friendship, faith, forgiveness, and commitment. We wouldn’t spend the money on ourselves. We’d invest it in creating something that can impact families long after the contest is over.