Kerry and Leika, they could say that they are a match made in Heaven. But when they say that, one would think that their love story was the typical “boy meets girl, and it was love at first sight. A story of heart-melting romance that led to a happily ever after.” This was not their reality; yes, theirs was love at first sight, but this didn’t go smoothly from there, either. Let's have them tell us about their whirlwind and at the same time, fairytale romance.

Kerry and Leika are both from Haiti. They met around 2007 when they were between the ages of 14-15, through Leika’s best friend, who at the time was dating one of Kerry’s friends. Leika’s best friend came up with this brilliant idea to have her girlfriends do pen pals with the guys so that everyone could get to know each other and eventually meet. Who knows? Maybe the idea was to get the girl friends to date boys who were friends and have this clan of friends. Kerry and Leika were never a match-up. They each had their own random pen friend they were sending letters to every week. However, they had heard about each other quite often because of their close circle of friends. During this time, Kerry didn’t come across as a boy Leika would be interested in, and Leika, like she likes to say, didn’t think she was his type, either.

Leika: “I don’t know how or from whom he got my number, but he reached out to me one day out of nowhere. A year after we started talking, we arranged our first meeting. I say ‘arranged…. meeting’ because it was not a typical ‘I am going on a date’ thing that kids are telling their parents these days.” Kerry: “We had to lie about our whereabouts. I told my mom I was going for church altar service practice, while, I think, she lied about going to a club meeting at school. We finally met at our friend’s house. Yes, this is where it happened! Not a fancy restaurant! It was love at first sight. I can remember the day like it was yesterday – time stopped, I’m sure of it. My chest was pounding so hard it hurts – not sure if it was excitement or the subsequent whopping for mischaracterizing my whereabouts to mom. I kissed her on the cheeks, and I knew! I knew that I found the one, I knew she was the one. We were 15 years old.”

It was when they were there, at their “arranged meeting” that Kerry announced that he was leaving for the US in a month. Leika didn’t tell anyone then, but she was also leaving in less than two weeks. Right there and then, it hit them that their love story, which had just properly begun, was about to end on the same day it started. Leika moved to Miami in December 2008, while Kerry moved to Boston in January 2009. They maintained contact through Facebook and Hi5 and was hopeful that they would try to make it work. However, their young mind had not comprehended just what such distance could do to teenage love. Over time, their friendship changed, and they grew apart, which was not something they had anticipated would happen. As fate would have it, they started to have new group of friends, and that’s how one day Leika would come to see that Kerry was dating another girl. That was the end – then. They were not in contact again for years.

Late 2015, about 6 years later, and WhatsApp was here. Leika and Kerry were added to a group chat by a mutual friend from Haiti. Leika: “That’s when Kerry would slide into my DM, again”. We talked, and since we were both single, we decided to pick things up from where we left, and oh, we were both ready for it this time. Kerry hadn’t changed a bit – except he was now a man, not that teenage boy. He was still the same affectionate, intelligent, career-driven, and funny guy I had known.” He is just an amazing man, and I was thankful that fate (and social media!) had brought us back together. Well, just our hearts; he was still living in Boston, and I, in Miami. This time, we were inseparable, and not even the distance could separate us. I will not tell you that it was all smooth being in a long-distance relationship. But we were committed and determined to see it work, so we weathered the storms together, fighting for us.”

In 2016, Kerry arranged for Leika to visit him in Boston. Leika: “On a cold February morning, the love of my life received me at the airport. He wrapped me in a warm embrace. It felt like I had been waiting for this moment all my life. We didn’t have to lie or sneak around to meet. It was just me and him and there in his arms, I felt at home. I was finally home.” “He whisked me away from the airport and headed to his apartment in Boston. We exchanged knowing glances and couldn’t stop giggling. It really did feel strange and at the same time, exciting to be together for the first time after 6 years. He poured a glass of wine and put on some music. At some point, he took my glass and set it on the table. ‘What are you doing?’ I said, giggling. ‘Can I have a dance?’ He asked calmly, looking deep into my eyes. I don’t remember saying anything. Everything felt right, and I just took his outstretched hand. He twirled me around and had me crashing on his chest. I looked up at him. That’s when it happened. He leaned towards me, and we shared our first kiss, right there in front of the fireplace in his living room.”

Leika: "We went to visit the Dominican Republic for vacation. For the first two days, we were staying at a hotel in Santo Domingo, then on the third day, Kerry suggested that we visit Punta Cana. I had told him that I would love to visit the place earlier, but I didn’t think he would arrange for us to go that soon. I accepted, happily.” What Leika did not know is that the Punta Cana trip was not just a thought. It was a plan. He found a way to kill two birds with one stone. He would take her to a place she desired to go, as a gift. Back at the hotel, family and friends would have time to set up the surprise. Leika: “I would come back two days later, happy and relaxed to walk through a trail of flowers to our room. In there, I found decorations. there were balloons, flowers, wine, a bunch of fruits, and chocolate and collage of some of pictures made in a cute box with the ring sitting right inside with a note that says “Will You Be my Wife” in Spanish. I could not believe my eyes; I turned around to look at Kerry only to find him on one knee, holding out a ring. Of course, I said yes, very gladly Yes!” “Almost 15 years! That’s how long it took to get to this moment. From the boy I didn’t think was my type, and the boy I blocked to husband and wife-to-be. This was magic, a fairytale if you ask me. It was a total of almost 15 years of knowing him and 5 years with a fun and loving boyfriend until we became fiancés. I left the US a girlfriend, and I went back a fiancée with a beautiful ring on my finger.”