Airia was born in Southfield, Michigan to Frank and Janet Sasser but moved to Los Angeles at nine months old. After graduating from high school, she moved from LA to the San Francisco Bay Area where she attended the University of California at Berkeley. A feminist, hippie, and open minded woman, she had lived her entire life in liberal California. The decision to visit Tampa Bay in search of a graduate program lead her to meet the man who, at the time, she would never have known would be the love of her life.
Airia was born in Southfield, Michigan to Frank and Janet Sasser but moved to Los Angeles at nine months old. After graduating from high school, she moved from LA to the San Francisco Bay Area where she attended the University of California at Berkeley. A feminist, hippie, and open minded woman, she had lived her entire life in liberal California. The decision to visit Tampa Bay in search of a graduate program lead her to meet the man who, at the time, she would never have known would be the love of her life.
Sotiris
Sotiris was born in Queens, NY to George and Maria Papadopoulos and grew up on Long Island. A few years later Maria gave birth to his sister Athena and his brother Demetri. On a fateful day in Greece Sotiris's father passed at the young age of 46. Losing his father at the young age of 13, Sotiris helped take care of and raise his family, bringing them close together. They remain very close to this day.
The rest of his family lives in NY, Florida and Greece. His aunt Helen and cousin Sophia live in NY. Helen's other son Nick lives in Florida with his wife Christie and two children Eleni and Sebatian. The rest of his family lives in Greece. Sotiris's uncle, Menelaos, from his mothers side, lives in Greece with his wife, Frederiki, and two sons, Demetri and Kosta. Additionally, his other unlce from his father's side, whom he is named after, also lives in Greece with his wife, Ralou. He recently visited Greece, with his brother and sister, to see his family. Check out the pictures page to see pictures from the trip.
After graduating high school, from Bethpage High School, he attended Stonybrook University, where he met one of his best friends Jay, whom he considers family to this day. After a few unsuccessful semesters at Stonybrook he realized he needed a change to find direction in life. He decided to leave the hustle and bustle of NYC and moved to Tampa. He graduated with a degree in Management of Information Systems from the University of South Florida (USF).
While at school, Sotiris was hired at Advantis, which after undergoing four mergers is now known as the new AT&T, and is where he still works his days and some nights as a Customer Service Manager. Additionally, he develops and writes webpages and software.
TheMeeting
When visiting Tampa to consider USF's public health graduate program, a mutual friend introduced Sotiris and Airia. Over dinner, Sotiris wanted a drink refill and called out to the waitress, "Hey sweetie, can I get another drink?" Airia's reaction was "You can't speak to women that way, Macho Man. The waitress has a name."
Sotiris replied, "Let me guess. You're one of those California broads who fight for women's lib and believe in that politically correct crap." Needless to say, their relationship started with an explosion!
Polar opposites at a glance, Sotiris and Airia have much more in common than they anticipated. By the time Airia moved to Tampa to obtain her master's degree in public health, they had debated politics, religion, music, and learned that their goals and hearts were in the same place. They've been together ever since.
TheEngagement
Six years later on Airia's thirtieth birthday, they were signing paperwork to buy their beautiful dream home. Distracted by the excitement of the new home and her birthday, Airia did not realize that Sotiris and their very good friends, Jay, Kang and Tamara, had enacted "Operation Honest Woman." Coming home after a celebratory birthday dinner, Airia entered their new empty home and found over 400 lit candles around the home, rose petals lining the walkways and her favorite song "Ribbon in the Sky" playing. A courtship that began years before in heated debate finally matured into tears of joy and a promise to honor, love and cherish for eternity.
