John and Shonna attended the University of Southern Mississippi during the same period. John is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, while Shonna is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Given these Phirst Phamily ties within the NPHC community, their mutual friends wondered how they had not met during their time on campus. Interestingly, both of them recall various social events from college, including step shows, well-known summertime water-gun fights, and Greek parties, yet they never met one another. Their conclusion is God had blinders on them because it wasn’t their time to meet.

After graduating in 1999, John joined the United States Air Force, married his college girlfriend, and was blessed with three amazing sons. Meanwhile, Shonna graduated in 2001, pursued graduate studies in Miami, and began her career in Sports Administration.

In 2016, Shonna came across a Facebook post in which John was interacting with a mutual friend. Curious about John, she inquired about him, and the friend responded, “John is good people... How do you not know John!?” After further discussion, Shonna decided to slide into John’s DM with a sincere check-in to see how he and his sons were doing. (Yo Gotti was right when he said, “It goes down in the DMs” LOL). This led to an exchange of phone numbers, resulting in several lengthy conversations over the next few months and ultimately leading to their first date in Atlanta, which solidified their long-distance relationship.

John's initial impression of Shonna Brown during their first date was simply, wow! He and this beautiful lady had so much fun! During an Escape Room outing, John discovered that Shonna possesses a highly competitive nature. Although they did not win the escape room challenge, she won his heart that evening. Following the Escape Room, Shonna introduced John to her family tradition of watching the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, an experience she found enlightening as she appreciated his insights on different countries. The next day, they celebrated the birthday of a mutual college friend at the Atlanta Zoo, and as part of their marathon first date weekend, John and Shonna also attended a wedding. That wedding always reminds them of the beauty of love and commitment. By the end of the date, John felt a genuine connection and a desire to learn more about Shonna Brown!

One of the first memories John has where he thought to himself, "I could picture myself marrying Shonna," was during one of her visits from Boston, Massachusetts, to Montgomery, Alabama, when he planned a date at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts followed by a romantic picnic in the park. They enjoyed the sunshine, wine, snacks, and great conversation. That day, John realized he loved her spontaneous energy, low-maintenance demeanor, and genuine love for his sons.

Of course, Shonna points to a different memory as a particular highlight of their relationship. One of the first memories Shonna has where she thought to herself, "I could picture myself marrying John," was… hahaha… Now, y’all know Shonna didn’t have that thought, but she did identify John as her “forever person” early in their relationship. Shonna fell in love with John’s calming spirit. She saw the King in him through his love and sacrifice for his sons and in the way he embraced her family. John was not perfect, but no one walking this Earth is. Love is respecting and appreciating someone entirely, flaws and all. John was perfect match for Shonna’s slow-to-commit, fast-to-walk away, honesty above all else, curiosity about life, and passion for exploring the world personality.

The proposal occurred on November 2, 2024, during a day trip that John planned to Gibbs Gardens in Ball Ground, Georgia, to enjoy the autumn landscape. En route, he made a stop at Dick’s Sporting Goods to purchase a silicone ring as a temporary placeholder until the actual ring arrived later that month. When Shonna inquired about his stop, he responded playfully, “Must you know everything?” Shonna did not ask anymore questions, allowing John to maintain the element of surprise. After asking a passerby to take their picture against the backdrop of beautiful foliage, John requested another photo before slowly kneeling down to propose to Shonna. A crowd gathered, responding to her enthusiastic acceptance with cheers and applause. Shonna cherished the silicone ring and was moved to tears of joy. The idea of spending forever together made them smile inside and out. They can’t wait to start their journey together as husband and wife in the city where it all started - Atlanta!  

John and Shonna express their deep gratitude to their community for the unwavering support and affection they have received. They look forward to celebrating their wedding with their village in the near future.

#ShonJohn45∞