Additional Coverage:
- My family was worried when I married a man I met online. Five years later, our marriage proves that not everyone is a catfish. (businessinsider.com)
Against Family’s Wishes, Whirlwind Romance Leads to International Adventure and Return Home
Shalonda Trent’s love story reads like a romance novel, complete with international intrigue, family drama, and a happy ending (so far). When Trent began messaging Precious Ubaka Spik on Facebook in 2021, her family and friends were understandably concerned. Their whirlwind romance led to an engagement in July, a first meeting in Dubai in November, and a wedding in Nigeria a week later.
The skepticism only grew when Trent moved over 6,000 miles to Astana, Kazakhstan, where Spik taught English. Now, nearly four years and three children later, the couple has returned to Trent’s hometown of New Haven, Connecticut, where Spik has been embraced by the very family who initially opposed the match.
Spik, a talented pianist who now plays at Trent’s church, secured a green card in March 2024 after a surprisingly straightforward process costing around $1,500. The couple handled the paperwork themselves, presenting evidence of their shared life and receiving support letters from family.
Life in Kazakhstan presented unique challenges. While Spik earned a comfortable living teaching English, and Trent found work teaching English and assisting an author, the lack of diversity led to uncomfortable encounters with curious strangers. Trent also longed for her family’s support as a new mother.
Missing home and hoping to raise their children in a more diverse environment, the couple decided to return to the US in April 2025. Spik, like many immigrants, started over professionally, working at Amazon and Macy’s before finding higher-paying work as a caregiver.
He is also working towards his pistol license to further enhance his job prospects. Trent is balancing childcare with online studies, aiming for a psychology degree and a career as a board-certified behavior analyst.
While happily settled back in the US, the couple’s story might not end there. Spik has political aspirations in his native Nigeria, and Trent fully supports his ambitions. Their unconventional journey serves as a testament to taking chances in love and life, proving that sometimes, against all odds, a Facebook message can indeed lead to happily ever after.