- My next guest, has waited 15 years for this moment.
- (David) Wow.
- In 2005, 15 years that's a long time to wait, just saying
Anthony, in 2005, Anthony met his future wife,
Tiffany along with her three year old daughter, Brianna.
He says he fell in love twice. He married Tiffany
and has raised Brianna, um, as his daughter ever since.
Now, in 2020, he wants to make that love official
by finally adopting Brianna. Here to tell this
amazing story of love and patience are Anthony and Tiffany.
Thank you so much for being here.
So, tell us how you met. How did you first?
How did y'all first meet?
- I joined the fire department shortly after 9/11.
Uh, then shortly after that, I met Tiffany.
We stood in a wedding together and uh,
you know. The moment I met her, I, I knew how beautiful
and she was and smart, and funny, and then later on
that evening, at the rehearsal dinner, is when I
run into Brianna. This little three year old girl,
who, you know. She literally ran into me and kinda
looked up at me and said, hey you're in my way.
(Tiffany and audience laugh)
Then I kinda called out to the rest of the party
like hey who's kid is this I just knocked over?
I should of clicked, uh, that's when I knew she was
Tiffany's daughter. I mean, they're, uh, two peas in a pod.
I mean, they're just like each other. Beautiful, sassy,
and smart, and um.
- (Kelly) That was awsome - It was actually
really, really sweet. He genuinely adored her.
- That's so. I actually heard, you actually,
was it your first date you actually took Brianna with y'all?
- Yes. So, uh - (Kelly) That's special.
- I'm a huge Astros fan and, um
- You got a brother?
(everyone laughs)
- (Anthony) I do. - Sorry
- (Kelly) Asking for a friend.
- So uh, Brianna made it so easy, she just
uh, had a blast and was in awe, and we went back and forth
cheering. And that was just a lot of fun and uh.
- (Kelly) That's so cool. - It was.
- I could tell then, that I knew that he was someone
that I wanted. Not only in my life, but in her life.
- Yeah, and also your first date with a woman,
trying to make your move, that's so nice
that you bring the little kid along.
- Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. - That says a lot
about your heart, and that probably told her
right off the bat, you were like,
all right marriage material. - Absolutely.
- Um, so when did? Tiffany, when did you know
that he was truly, like her daddy?
- So, um when he proposed to me, he took me back to
the spot that we first met. Which was at the church.
We stood in a wedding together. Um, he proposed to me.
Right after he proposed to me, we went to go get Brianna
from school. I get so emotional. We went to go get Brianna
from school. - Yeah.
- Um, we showed her the ring, said um, he proposed to me
and her words, which I will never forget, were
- I'm already about to cry. Okay.
- Now I have a daddy. - (Octavia) Aw, okay.
- Are you serious? - Yes. Thank you.
- Everything's fine, no one's crying. This is just so
beautiful. - Can you pass one down?
- And that's what I mean. Exactly. I'm just saying
like, I'm like - Wait.
- It's so sweet. - I need I need
- Here we go. Here we go. - I've got two.
- My lash is about to come off. I'm like oh my God.
Like now I have a daddy. That's so nice.
- Now Brianna has two younger siblings,
that she adores. They adore her. She is now
a Senior, in high school. - (Kelly) Wow.
- Um, she. Anthony has been there for all of her
dance practices, her field routines.
He did Bob and Sue with her four years on the field.
- Wow - Um, he
taught her how to drive. He's just been a phenominal
- What a good dude. - father.
- So, you officially. You officially wanted to adopt
Brianna now. So why now?
- Well, he's wanted to for through out the years
- (Kelly) Yeah. - He's wanted to adopt her.
We decided to wait until she turned 18.
Her biological father is, has not been in her life,
um, but he still has rights to her.
So, for a variety of reasons we decided
not to go down that road, - (Kelly) Yeah.
And just wait until she turned 18.
- Yeah, less complicated.
- Yes - Yeah
- Okay, so today is her birthday, right?
- Yes
- So today, she's officially 18
- Yes. Wow.
- So today you can officially ask her.
- I can, yes and uh
- Well, it's no coincidence you're here, my man.
No coincidence.
- (Anthony) I've wanted that - We wanted that beautiful
stuff on TV. - Oh, I know.
And I've wanted that for a while, and you know
just to, you know, she deserves to have our family name.
And - (Kelly) Yeah.
- To hear her graduate with, with our name
it just, she means so much to me.
- And us - (Kelly) That's so cool.
- (Anthony) So. - Ah, so you
Octavia, you lost your dad when
you were pretty young, right?
- I, I lost my dad when I was 13 and I lost my mom
when I had just turned 18. - (Kelly) What!
- Yeah - I did not know the last part
- Yeah, so this is like - that's a lot of loss
- It's a lot of loss and you, your siblings
become your parents. - (Kelly) Yeah.
- But, they also are your biggest cheerleaders,
and so this is so beautiful. I mean, ugh
- (Kelly) Yeah. - Thank you
- Oh my gosh, I'm so excited.
Anthony and Tiffany's daughter, Brianna, is backstage
with her two younger siblings, right now.
She thinks she's here to talk about living
in a blended family. Um, she has no idea Anthony
wants to officially adopt her, um, today. So, lets welcome
them out here. Come on out Brianna, Aiden, and Audrey.
Hi
Hello.
Hi.
I'm Kelly. Nice to meet y'all. - Hi
- What's up, man? Nice to meet you. Come sit down.
(Audrey giggles)
Yes. Oh my God, the tiny, miniature boots. I can't.
Okay. So, okay. So, we've been talking about
blended families. We have one as well. I'm from one,
and we have one now. And I was gonna ask you, Brianna,
like, he's been raising you since you were three, right?
- Yes, ma'am. - Yes.
So, how's Anthony held up as a dad? Is he pretty good?
- Yes. He's amazing. I love him. Um, he's a hero
in real life, and he's my hero.
- Okay. Stop. Everything is fine.
Aiden and Audrey, do you think he's a pretty good dad?
- I agree. - Pretty good mom and dad?
- Yeah, I agree with my sister. My dad is a firefighter
and he saves lives for a living.
- Yes. He is a real hero.
That's amazing - Is that accurate?
- Are you all right with him? Is he all right?
- Yes.
- Um, I hear though it's your 18th birthday today.
- Yes, I am - So, happy birthday
- Thank you. - (Kelly) That's a big thing.
- Thank you
- That's, our. We have a daughter that's 18.
And its like, freedom. - Yes.
- It's a great birthday. So, your dad has something
special actually he wants to share with you on your birthday
- Okay. So, I love you with all my heart. I've loved you
since you were three. I've watched you grow up
into this beautiful young lady. I know you're going
off to college next year. You're gonna be doing great things
and today, being your 18th birthday, in front of God
and everybody, baby I'd love nothing more
than to make it official, and to adopt you.
- (Kelly) Oh my God. You are done, sir.
Everything's fine. Oh my gosh.
I mean, what does that mean to you?
'cause coming from a girl that didn't grow up with a daddy,
that's a beautiful thing that just happened to you.
- Yes, I couldn't be more blessed um, for God to put him
into my life. Uh, I'm just so grateful for him.
- Oh my gosh. So Octavia, do you want to say anything?
'caus you - I do.
I just. I gotta say, the fact that you know that,
oh God I'm gonna start crying. The fact that you knew
that he was your dad and he has been your dad
this whole entire time, ugh. Sorry
- Oh my gosh, you're me. We are literally the same human.
I can't talk when I cry either. But, it's beautiful,
the fact that you recognize that. Like I said,
not every body gets that opportunity, and it's a blessing.
Well, congratulations y'all. - Thank you.
- Thank you. - It's such a beautiful
story. A beautiful family. - Thank you, so much.