There is an incredible family in Linden, New Jersey
that I'm about to surprise in a big, big way.
And when I say big, I mean big.
I'll show you.
This is what I'm going to do.
I'm going to give them that car right there.
[APPLAUSE]
Told you it was big.
All right, let's show everybody who we're about to surprise.
This is Schivane and her husband Mario and their two kids.
Schivane has been writing into the show for years.
They think they're going to be in our virtual audience.
I'm going to call and let them know that they're actually
our next guests.
Still have this phone.
[LAUGHTER]
I'm not sure if it's been cleaned either.
[LAUGHTER]
At least it's not the kind that you have to crank and hold next
to your ear.
[PHONE DIALING]
Hello?
Hey, Schivane.
Yes?
Schivane, it's Ellen DeGeneres.
How are you?
Oh!
Oh, my God!
Hi.
[APPLAUSE]
Hi, Schivane.
Oh, my God!
Yo!
Listen, I just wanted to let you know
that you're not going to be in my virtual audience today.
Instead, you're actually going to be on my show.
Oh, my God!
You're my next guests.
Oh, my God, Ellen!
So, surprise.
Oh, my God!
It's you.
Hi.
Hi, Ellen.
Oh, my gosh.
Hi.
Hi, everybody.
Hello.
Hi, Ellen.
Hello.
My gosh.
This is exciting.
Schivane, I know you're a big fan of the show.
I heard you had a feeling that we were going to meet one day.
Yes.
I have been such a huge fan of yours for years.
I think back since 2010, that's when I started really,
really watching all of your shows.
And I just told my husband I'm so into positive affirmations
and speaking things into existence.
And I'm like, listen, her heart, her love for people, and just
her love and generosity, I'm like,
there's no way that we just will not meet some day.
And I just believed it.
It didn't happen right away, but I knew
that it was going to happen.
11 years later, here we are.
Look at those--
I didn't believe--
What, Mario?
I didn't believe her.
I thought she was crazy.
But I will never doubt my wife again.
She spoke it into existence and it happened.
She always had strong faith, and her love for you is just crazy.
And now he's a total fan.
I'm a big fan.
Yes.
I'm so excited.
You combine positivity and love and affirmations,
and you can make anything happen.
Those two little precious babies,
I know it wasn't easy for you to start a family.
You went through a lot.
I want you to tell everybody the situation
because this is just--
how old are they?
So Kamari is 5 months, and Mariah is 18 months.
And the journey has-- it was definitely hard for us.
We got married in 2015, and we thought--
just like anybody else, we wanted to have a family.
We knew that we wanted to have kids of our own
and we thought it was going to happen immediately.
But unfortunately, the journey just
didn't happen like that for us.
It was really tough.
We experienced three really, really rough miscarriages.
We had three failed IUIs once we started--
once we got to the point, where we knew
we needed fertility treatments.
And then we started our IVF journey,
and then we had one failed IVF.
And then our second IVF led us to Mariah.
[BABY BABBLING]
When she was about five months old--
There she goes.
--Kamari came along.
Just came into the picture.
Yes.
And he happened naturally, so we were just surprised.
We were just like, wait, what is this?
But we just knew that because we have each other
and we have strong faith in God--
Yes.
--that at the end of the day, that we would make it work.
And that's exactly what we've been doing.
We've been making it work and just working hard together.
[APPLAUSE]
So do you know where your daughter is now?
She just wandered off.
[LAUGHTER]
Yeah, she's eating potato chips.
OK.
All right.
So your son Kamari is named-- tell everybody
why you named him Kamari.
Well, we're big on giving our kids names with meaning.
So Kamari name means moon, light in the darkness.
So that's what we designed it to be, light in the darkness.
And that's just been our goal in life.
And especially because I've been watching you for so long,
you always just are a reminder for me
and our family to continue to be that light in the darkness
for so many people.
I've been living my life in that way
that even if we have $5 left to our name, that $5
will go to someone in need.
As long as these kids have milk and they have food to eat,
we'll be OK, because God always makes a way for us.
He's just been really faithful in that way.
It hasn't been easy.
It's been a struggle.
But at the end of the day--
We just take it day by day.
One day at a time.
And we've got each other, so we just make it work.
But we're so passionate about just making sure
that we help other people.
That's why we are talking to you because we know that about you.
So we have something for you and your family after this.
We're going to take a break.
And, see, we're finally meeting.
We'll be back with Schivane and Mario and the kids after this.
She made me want a potato chip.
[LAUGHTER]
Ellen's eating a potato chip like you, Mariah.
I don't blame her.
Look, they're very good.
Thank you.
All right, we're back with Schivane, Mario, and their two
kids.
We sent a gift box.
You thought we were going to play a game.
But anyway, we sent you a gift box.
Do you have it?
Yes.
OK, bring it to you.
All right.
Because there's no audience game happening today.
That was a lie.
All right, open the box.
[LAUGHTER]
Open the box.
OK.
There's another box, so take that box out.
[LAUGHTER]
OK.
Open that box.
Open this box.
Yep.
Oh, there's another box.
[LAUGHTER]
It's ridiculous.
All right.
Yeah, take that box out.
OK.
All right.
There's another box?
Another box.
All right.
Let me just tell you something.
As you open that box, our friends at Shutterfly
love helping people like you.
So open that other box.
See what's inside of there.
Oh!
Those are car keys because I thought you wanted a new car.
So this is what you're getting.
Thanks to Shutterfly, you're getting a brand new 2021 Honda
Pilot.
[SHRIEKING]
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you, Ellen!
Thank you!
Brand new 2021 Honda Pilot.
Oh, my God.
Thank you so much!
Well, you need a safe car for those two precious babies.
And hopefully we'll see you again.
Y'all are a wonderful family.
And thank you for just everything.
Just thanks for the love.
Thanks for what you do for everybody else.
Continued blessings to both of you.
Thank you.
You too.
We love you so much.
All right.
We'll be back.