Tanisha and Anton’s story began back in 2010 when they both worked at Publix. In the beginning, they were nothing more than friendly colleagues. When Tanisha left Tampa to pursue college, they lost touch. Fast forward to 2016, Tanisha had just graduated and was moved back to Tampa for a new job. After years of not seeing each other, Anton posted a photo on Facebook that caught Tanisha’s attention. Since the last time she had seen him, Anton had grown a full beard, and Tanisha thought he looked handsome. In October of that same year, Tanisha decided to send Anton a DM, to catch up. What started with a simple “Hey, how are you doing?” quickly turned into daily conversations. They texted and Facetimed, and before long, they were inseparable. Their first date was at a local spot, and from there, things just clicked. They continued exploring new restaurants, going to movies, enjoying go-kart racing, bowling, concerts, comedy shows, and so much more. Over the next eight years, Tanisha and Anton built a life together. They traveled, bought a home, and grew their family, becoming partners in every sense of the word.

On June 19, 2024—Juneteenth—Anton surprised Tanisha with a proposal that took her completely off guard. The day started like any other Wednesday, and Tanisha had no idea what Anton had planned. Leading up to the proposal, Anton had been asking her, “What does Juneteenth mean to you?” Tanisha responded with the usual facts, not suspecting anything special was coming. That afternoon, Anton sent their daughter, A’Niyah, to call Tanisha outside, claiming that Anton had hurt himself. Concerned, Tanisha rushed to the backyard, only to find Anton and their other daughter, Olivia, waiting. As she approached, Anton dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him. In complete shock, Tanisha said yes, never expecting the proposal to come on a Wednesday afternoon. As Anton slid the ring on her finger, he smiled and asked, “Now, what does Juneteenth mean to you?” To which Tanisha just smiled.