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Our worlds brushed when I was COO of America’s Black Holocaust Museum and had the honor of touring Steven and other community leaders through its powerful exhibits. As fate would have it, not long after my time at the museum, I accepted a contract with the African American Leadership Alliance of Milwaukee, where Steven worked as the operations coordinator.
What began as a quick conversation that should have lasted 10 minutes turned into two hours filled with laughter, curiosity and an undeniable connection. We became fast friends.
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We did everything together: dinners, museum visits, lunch breaks, and long phone calls sharing life stories and bad dating experiences. We even made an agreement not to become romantically involved since we worked together. But love often finds its way, even when we try to resist it. After months of convincing ourselves that we were just friends, we realized it was much more.
A few months later, Steven proposed. We’ve built a beautiful blended family. Between us, we have seven children – five adult children who live across the country and my two teenage daughters, ages 13 and 16, whom we co-parent with their father.
Our love story has not been without challenges. Shortly after our engagement, I was rushed to the hospital with chest pains, seizures and slurred speech. For two weeks, doctors worked tirelessly without knowing if I would recover. Steven never left my side. He slept in the hospital every night. He was my calm in the storm and my family’s strength when they didn’t know what would happen.
When I was finally discharged, I faced a long road to recovery. I had to relearn words, rebuild strength and regain my independence. It took nearly two years of therapy and determination. Steven never once wavered.
Surrounded by our children, family and closest friends, we were married at the beautiful Denizen MKE. The room was filled with joy, laughter and tears of gratitude. Our wedding wasn’t just a celebration of love. It was a testament to endurance, grace and what it truly means to stand beside the person you love through every season.
Chauntel: For a team outing to a Brewers game, we were encouraged to bring our families. My children immediately connected with Steven. My oldest son told me that I should consider dating him. I laughed and said, “I don’t date co-workers.” But his comment made me wonder, “What if?”
Steven: Chauntel invited me and my daughter to join her at the Governor’s gathering of community leaders. Afterward, we went to a cozy Italian restaurant in Madison, where my daughter and Chauntel did most of the talking. Watching how comfortable my daughter was with Chauntel was the moment I knew she was the one.
