Koi no yokan: the premonition of love. I’d been doing BJJ with Kellian a few weeks when Jonny walked up on us stretching. “New friend, Kellian?” he joked. I shot back, “Jonny, yeah? I’m actually your new bestie.” Just a joke — but something clicked. A warmth in my chest, tight but exhilarating, like sunshine breaking through. I didn’t know yet it was love. I just knew he’d be in my life. And slowly, he was. BJJ became D&D nights, those nights became a kiss after a movie, and that became forever.

I’d had a bad day. My future wife knew it because we’d talked on the phone before I got home. I walked up to find a 3-round Nerf gun taped to the front door with a note: “good luck.” I tried to be smart and sneak around back to flank her through the back door I wasn’t prepared for the fact she’d stashed several loaded guns around the house, waiting. I was ambushed from every angle. The bad day was gone before I knew it. That’s one of the moments I remember thinking: she’s the one.

Half would fund yearly BJJ scholarships for underprivileged kids at the gym that brought us together. I grew up with a mom who worked hard just to cover essentials; Jonny grew up dirt poor..Neither of us could’ve afforded BJJ as kids and we want to pay it forward. The other half helps kickstarts Misfit Farms, our future animal sanctuary — building on what we’ve already started with Roofus McMeatball the Lord King and Chonk and Mario, a cow he bonded with after a petting zoo home didn’t work out.