Tru-Sha and Ronaldo’s unexpected reconnection leads to romance
Published:Tuesday | October 3, 2023 | 12:05 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter - -
Tru-Sha Dixon and Ronaldo Russell first crossed paths when they were about 10 or 11 years old, meeting in the youth group at Barbican Baptist Church. At first, Tru-Sha didn’t think much of these initial encounters and viewed it as a possible friendship, however, Ronaldo always saw her as someone he could marry. It would take two decades until a fortuitous meeting five years ago reunited the duo and brought them together in love and holy matrimony.
“The best moment of the wedding, for me, was simply seeing her. I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful. I admired every feature of her, taking the time to saver each detail, like counting grains of salt to create a picture. I was engraving every moment of her into my memory,” the groom told Island Wedding, reflecting on the moment he saw his gorgeous bride.
Ronaldo always found Tru-Sha to be incredibly beautiful, describing her beauty as one that left him in awe. “Her beauty isn’t just external. She has a beautiful soul as well. Charismatic and deeply passionate about the things she loves, she’s remarkably easy to talk to, and I can always be myself around her. Also, she is not a materialistic person, and her faith in God is strong.”
They fell out of touch for a few years until 2018 when he spotted her familiar face one weekend at Sovereign Centre in Liguanea. Catching up via messages, the two went on to reconnect in person at Loshusan in Barbican.
“We hung out at Tutti Fruiti and went to Wendy’s after. I always thought he was very laidback and hilarious,” Tru-Sha said. She added: “At that time, we were not interested in each other romantically. We were just hanging out as friends and catching up with each other. But I do believe that this experience set the tone for our relationship.”
Their official journey of love began on the night of July 15, 2018.
The true definition of ‘What you see is what you get’, Tru-Sha admired Ronaldo’s calm, understanding, supportive, authentic, and wise nature.
“He has never tried to be someone he isn’t. He laid everything bare before me — the good, the seemingly embarrassing and the weird. He was never ashamed of who he is and where he came from. He is unconcerned about what others think about him. I have never encountered someone more unbothered [than] Ronaldo,” she revealed.
His ability to remain cool in the most turbulent circumstances remains something she admires and tries her very best to emulate.
“He has really taught me to see the good in people and in myself. He has helped me to be fearless and has shown me that I don’t have to wait on anyone’s validation to see greatness in myself. He has encouraged me to be tenacious and to use any form of failure as a stepping stone and not accept it as defeat. He encourages us to have the hard conversations, work out our conflicts, and always see each other as a team even when we don’t see eye to eye with some things,” she shared.
Affectionate by nature, she says Ronaldo is honest and quick to forgive, “He always keeps God at the centre of our relationship and tries his best to live righteously because he always says that if you put God first, everything else will fall into place. It isn’t perfect all the time, but he definitely works daily at getting there. He is just such a sweet person.”
According to Ronaldo, words like God-fearing, loving, caring, stunning, and supportive effortlessly capture Tru-Sha’s essence. She plays an important role in helping him stay on the right spiritual path with God and also encourages him to eat well and stay fit.
He elaborated further: “She is unwaveringly supportive of my dreams, believing in me and pushing me forward. She has supported me in challenging times, both emotionally and financially. She ensures that I am okay in every sense, constantly reminding me that she loves me and finds me handsome.”
Bonding over movies, fine dining, and island adventures, Tru-Sha knew within the first year that Ronaldo was the one for her.”There was something very different about him, and I was certain that he was here to stay,” she said..
Ronaldo proposed four years and five months into their relationship during a romantic dinner for two.
“We went to [The] Jamaica Pegasus hotel for dinner, where the waitress seated us and complimented my soon-to-be fiancée, telling her she looked beautiful that night. After a while, I excused myself, pretending I needed to use the bathroom. I found the waitress and shared my plan with her. She agreed to help me. She directed me to the bathroom upstairs, where she handed me the well-designed plate with cake that read, ‘Will you marry me?’ I went back to our table, waited for the cake to arrive, and got down on one knee to pop the big question, after which she said yes,” he recounted.
Tru-Sha got a wedding planner to assist with all the details and received additional help from her family. When selecting her dress, the bride-to-be chose an exquisite custom design created by designer Louise Graham.
On their fifth dating anniversary, July 18, 2023, Tru-Sha and Ronaldo returned to the church where their love story began to officially tie the knot. Stunning in her white dress, which boasted a statement plunge in the back, the bride honoured her late grandmother, who passed on nine months prior by wearing her gold earrings and bangle. The heartwarming ceremony was then followed by a reception held at Pollyanna Caterers.
The pair shared their first dance as husband and wife to Tevin Campbell’s Dandelion, a love song Ronaldo had dedicated to Tru-Sha during the first year together. “While I danced with him I felt pure joy knowing that God couldn’t have given me a better match and that I am privileged to have both a lover and a best friend in one,” Tru-Sha added.