Good evening, everyone. For those I haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet, I'm Mike, AKA Mariah's young dad. Thank you all for traveling from near and far to join us on this glorious day.
As fathers, we have a moral obligation to teach and guide our children. But I'll let you in on a little secret: from the moment Mariah was born, she has been teaching me.
For the last 34 years, she hasn't just been my daughter — she has been one of my greatest guides.
As a little girl, she didn't just need me. In many ways, she became the light that helped guide me. She was my little sidekick from the very beginning — curious, joyful, and always eager to tag along.
And somehow, all these years later, she still walks right beside me. She works alongside me, believes in even my craziest ideas, and remains genuinely invested in the things that matter most to me.
And I know what a rare gift that is. I don't take it for granted — not for one single day.
She's been that way her whole life. Strong. Independent. And yes — sometimes a little spicy.
[pause] That last one? That comes from her grandmas. I'm just going to leave that right there.
[let the laughter settle]
For those of you with an oldest daughter — you know the one. The one where if you came running into the house saying, "The neighbor wants to fight me, and his daughter wants to fight you" — immediately she'd be charging out the door. No hesitation. No questions asked.
[pause] Mariah has always been my protector. Funny thing is, I'm the dad — that's supposed to be my job. But that's just who she is. She leads, she looks out for her people, and she never backs down.
[let it land]
That spirit of hers — it showed up early. I've got a favorite memory that proves it. But to really appreciate this story, I need to set the scene.
Mariah was about 9 or 10 years old. It was just her and her siblings — Michael, her older brother, and Vanessa. Hardwood floors. No carpet, no throw rugs. Pleather couches. I want you to picture this place. Not much Martha Stewart design going on. And that was not by accident — it was by design. Because when you've got kids and no carpet... you've got options.
[pause]
So we're all in the kitchen — me, the kids, and one of their friends — everyone just hanging out, snacking; I think we might have been eating hot dogs and hamburgers. A completely normal Saturday afternoon. Nothing unusual. Nothing suspicious. And I don't know how it started, but I remember someone teasing me and then having the idea of escalating things, so I picked up the ketchup. And I just... let it go. Sprayed everybody.
[pause] The whole kitchen went silent. You could see it on all their faces. Especially Katy Howard, Mariah's friend — did he just do that? They could not process that a parent — their parent — had just opened fire.
And then it clicked. One by one. Oh my God. We're in a food fight. And they ran — grabbed whatever they could find — mustard, mayonnaise, anything that could squirt was suddenly airborne. First they hesitated because they were in shock. Then they got brave. And then there was no going back.
And I'm standing there thinking — this is exactly why I got pleather.
[let the laugh breathe]
Now, at some point, I had made my way to the living room — I'm not saying I was hiding, but I was definitely outnumbered and looking for cover — when all of a sudden the front door bursts open and one of Mariah's best friends comes charging in. This girl had left, gone home, raided her own fridge, and came back fully loaded — ketchup and eggs — full attack mode. She takes one step onto that slippery hardwood floor covered in ketchup... and goes completely down. Slips and lands flat on her butt.
[pause for effect]
And Mariah? She stepped aside. Clean. Like she knew it was coming.
That is Mariah in a nutshell. She's always one step ahead. She knows when to charge in, and she knows when to let things play out. She leads with instinct, she protects the people she loves, and somehow — somehow — she always lands on her feet.
Sophia and Winnie, we don't have pleather anymore — so don't even think about it.
That same spirit — that grace, that spice, that commitment — is exactly what she's brought to every chapter of her life. She's been an honor roll student all of her life and even graduated with honors from her beautiful school of choice, LMU. She has been on this beautiful journey with Bremen for over a decade. A decade. That kind of love doesn't happen by accident. That happens because both people chose it, every single day.
Now, Bremen. Let me tell you about this young man. Hardworking. Well-mannered. And according to sources — very handsome. I say "sources" because I was at one of his jobs one day, ran into one of his coworkers, and this man looked at me and said, without hesitation, "Oh yeah, Bremen — the handsome guy."
[pause] I didn't bring it up. That's just what the people are saying.
But beyond the looks, what I respect most about Bremen is his heart. He has been a big brother to Mariah's little sisters. Not because he had to. Because that's just who he is. We've been on family snowboarding trips together, and the whole time he's right there watching out for Sophia, making sure she's taken care of. That's just Bremen. Watching him step into that role, naturally, without anyone asking — that told me everything I needed to know about the man my daughter chose.
When our families come together, it is always a special time. Always warmth, always laughter. That doesn't happen by chance — it happens because of the kind of people Bremen and Mariah are, and the kind of family they're building together. I'm proud to welcome him as my son.
Mariah, you have been there for me through everything life throws at you on a random Tuesday afternoon — like a best friend who always instinctively shows up when you need them most. I have had you in my life for 12,606 days, and I would give anything to relive them all over again. You are, without question, one of the greatest gifts of my life. Having this moment today — watching you walk into this new chapter — it warms me from the inside out. I am so blessed to call you my daughter, and so grateful to witness the woman you have become.
So if everyone please stand up and raise a glass — to Mariah and Bremen. May your love always be bigger than your arguments, may your home always be full of laughter, and may you never, ever have a food fight without inviting me.
Cheers.