Story by Jacob Smith
Selfless.
Thatâs the word Tony Sadler uses repeatedly to describe his wife, Jessica.
The two have been married nearly three years now. They have known each other since they worked together at Cox Communications, and now they are raising two kids, Jaxson and Jocelyn, and still love to see concerts and sporting events together and go to the gun range.
But above all, itâs Jessicaâs caring and loving spirit that stands out to Tony. Itâs the sticky notes she leaves with his lunch each morning before work.
Itâs the help she provides, whether keeping score or bringing snacks, for the baseball team he coaches. Itâs the thoughtfulness and caring she displays when heâs having a particularly rough day, and the kind notes and gifts she sends to his military buddies who need a pick-me-up.
Itâs all of those things, and so much more.
âItâs the best thing in the world to have someone like her by my side,â Tony said. âI donât know how to put that into words. Itâs refreshing.
The two met at work â he was a âfield guyâ and she worked in the call center â and they got to know each other better shortly after leaving Cox. But it was the gentle squeeze she gave his hand when they heard the news together that the company needed to restructure that sparked â literally â a loving relationship that has lasted since 2013.
âShe squeezed my hand, and there was something electric about it,â Tony said. âI like to say that little handshake is what started it all. ⊠To this day she is the love of my life.
It didnât take long for their first date, their first kiss â Dec. 6, 2013 â and their first vacation alone together at Mulberry Mountain, Arkansas, which just so happened to be when Tony popped the question.
âWe got engaged in November of 2017,â Tony said. âWith the kids and work, and I was still in school, we hadnât had a real vacation together. We took a week off into this desolate, middle of nowhere spot.
That decision didnât take long, either.
âHonestly, love is blind,â Tony said on when he realized Jessica was the one. âAfter that first kiss, I probably couldâve locked it in then.
He did eventually, and itâs the best decision heâs ever made.
To have a wife and mother like Jessica, who puts others first means more to Tony than he can express.Â
âI just want my beautiful wife to know how much the kids and I appreciate all her sacrifices for all of us on a daily basis,â he said. âShe is a great provider and caregiver. Sheâs the kind of woman that makes you want to be a better man, husband and friend, and Iâll never stop trying to show my appreciation for everything she does for us.â