From A Teenage Crush To A Power Couple, These Lovebirds Share Their Fascinating Story

xoNecole: Let’s start off by you both telling me a little bit about yourselves. 

Jenna Nia: I’m Jenna Nia. I just turned 39 in July, and I am from St. Louis, Missouri.

Donay: I’m Donay. I’m 39 years old and I’m also from St. Louis, Missouri, but we’ve been living in Atlanta for quite some time.

xoN: Oh, okay, you’re both from the same area! Is that how y'all met?

Jenna Nia: Yes, we actually met in high school at about 15. We didn’t go to the same school, but we had a lot of mutual friends. We used to see each other often because of our different circles of friends, and I had the biggest crush on him. I thought he was so kind, funny, and he had his own little car (laughs). But I had a lot of friends that had little “situations” with him. Plus, he had a girlfriend. So we never really hooked up then.

Donay: But I’d say we knew we liked each other. We were always looking at each other and playing games.

Jenna Nia: He didn’t give me any real attention though –

Donay: I paid her attention. But she had a boyfriend; it didn’t mean anything to me. I still checked her out, but she didn’t really take me seriously until around 18.

Jenna Nia: Then I realized all he wanted to do was smash and be a horny little boy. So we ended up reconnecting when I was around 25.

xoN: Wait, so how did it progress to what we see today? 

Jenna Nia: I moved away, went to college, moved to Atlanta, and then came back to St. Louis for a holiday break. We ended up rekindling through the same mutual friends. We were all hanging out over someone’s house. The chemistry was natural, and we hooked up. Two weeks later, I ended up dumping my boyfriend at the time; we were engaged a few years later, and here we are – still together.

Donay: That’s it. She laid it out perfectly.

"We were all hanging out over someone’s house. The chemistry was natural, and we hooked up. Two weeks later, I ended up dumping my boyfriend at the time; we were engaged a few years later, and here we are – still together."

xoN: I love stories when stories end like that. But let’s back up a bit. Take me through the process. After reconnecting, how did things blossom? Did y’all have the “what are we” conversation? How did it develop from an attraction to a relationship? Talk to me about the courtship.

Donay: We were talking on the phone every day. Those phone conversations got deep, fast. We were long distance, but I was phoning her in the morning, calling her baby - all the things. I was trying to charm her. And a few weeks later, I was saying, ‘I love you.’

xoN: I’m hearing that more and more, actually. Sometimes what’s understood doesn’t have to be explained! What did being in such a serious relationship teach you? 

Jenna Nia: I learned there was only one man who could make me want to be with him for the rest of my life. I realized it’s possible to be crazy in love and not have to weigh options.

xoN: What was it that he did to make you feel like that?

Jenna Nia: It was the chemistry, it was like magic. It was a feeling. It wasn’t even anything he did. Honestly, we had a rocky start. You know how it is, they charm you but then you start finding out all kinda other stuff.

We had infidelity issues when we were young. So logically, I wanted to leave him alone, but my heart and mind just wouldn’t allow me to. Once there was nothing I could do to stop being crazy about him – I knew.

xoN: And what was it for you, Donay? 

Donay: It was from spending time with her. I just knew. I literally didn’t like when she wasn’t in my presence. I knew she was my wife.

"It was from spending time with her. I just knew. I literally didn’t like when she wasn’t in my presence. I knew she was my wife."

xoN: Okay, so you spoke a little bit about infidelity. What were some of your biggest challenges, and how did you navigate them? 

Jenna Nia: He still doesn’t claim it, but I feel like he had a whole relationship he never told me about when we first got together. But we were only 25, and it was before we got married. It was him learning to be with one woman and in a serious relationship – it was truly growing pains.

Donay: Like I’ve told her before, I was young and knew I was playing with something serious. I knew how real she was and that what we had wasn’t something I could just find again.

xoN: You mentioned family, what are some of your other shared values?

Donay: I’d have to say our lifestyle.

Jenna Nia: That’s really the best way to sum it up. We both have the same craving for nice things, luxury, and financial freedom. When it comes to how we want to live our life, we’re both action-oriented and proactive to obtain that lifestyle.

xoN: This is everything. But I mean, do y’all fight? What are some of the things you argue over? 

Donay: (Laughs) We both are very strong-minded.

Jenna Nia: We fight the most over business. We own our businesses together, and there's so many moving parts. Sometimes, we don’t agree over stuff or have different approaches. We don’t really have outside problems, though.

xoN: Finally, I’ll close with this. What are your favorite things about each other?

Jenna Nia: There’s a lot of things. He’s very much my eye candy. He’s a super Dad. He’s with the boys more than me. But overall, it’s his perspective on life. He’s extremely smart, but he also combines it with action. He’s going to make it happen. Everyone doesn’t always understand people who go that hard, but I do. It’s very sexy and makes me feel safe and protected.

Donay: First of all, she’s fine and beautiful; I can’t keep my hands off of her. But outside of that, it’s her mind, ambition, hustle, strength, and the way she thinks. I respect her mind so much. You don’t meet many people with a mind like hers.

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