PowerCouple February 2017 Inaugural Issue | Page 6

Love Story : Love Infusion Fred & Muryel Sumpter

Shanna : How did you two meet ?
Muryel : We were family friends . I knew him since I was 12 or
13 . We officially dated when I was a sophomore at Claflin University . I was about 20 at that time . Freddie was a biology teacher and I was having some complications with my science class and I reached out to him for some tutoring . Our conversations from then blossomed into a great relationship . At first we were both frightened and afraid of what others would perceive and say . It was very complicated because when I was much younger I used to babysit for Freddie . That really was hard for our families to deal with when we started dating later in life . We went through lots of obstacles . Especially when I moved in with Freddie my junior year in college . We dealt with many criticisms and scrutiny from our families . But we knew our love was genuine , real and God ordained . The more our families tried to tear us apart , the stronger our love became .
Shanna : That sounds like a huge challenge you endured . So , you dated when you were in
college ... when did you guys get engaged ?
Muryel : We got engaged at 9:30 PM on February 17 after a basketball game . We actually got
married the next day . What I remember most about that day was that my father was in the hospital and was unable to attend the wedding ceremony . My father loved Freddie . After we got married I still was wearing my wedding dress and Freddie still was wearing his tuxedo . We went to the hospital to visit my dad so he could be part of our big day . We had a reception and ceremony the following August with family .
Shanna : Fred , when did you know that Muryel
was the one ?
Fred : I knew Muryel was my wife . It was kind
of weird because it never happened like that . Something just hit me . It was just like a veil that just dropped over me and I had clarity . I remember the exact day . I was coaching a basketball tournament , and I looked back at the exact instant that she walked in the door . She brought my kids to watch me coach the game . All of the kids were happy and she was happy . It was at that moment I knew she was the one for me .
Shanna : That was really sweet ! Muryel , when did know Fred was the one for you ?
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