A Ring Bearer’s Crush

Name: Janine Scandlon

Location: Medina, Ohio

Relationship to Jessica: Sister-in-law

Danielle, Jessica’s sister, married my brother, Jeff Roth.

Danielle & Jeff's Wedding Party (Kent is Ring Bearer, in front of Jessica), October 17, 2004

I met Jessica for the first time while Jeff and Danielle were dating. Over the years, we would re-connect with Jessica when we would visit my brother in NJ. During the summer of 2004, Jessica and Mrs. Fashano drove to Ohio for a bridal shower that was being given for Danielle. My husband is a building contractor and we had just built and moved into our new home. Danielle asked if we would give them a “tour” of the house.

When they arrived at our home, my then four year old son, Kent, suddenly became possessed. It took me awhile to figure out that he had been struck by the age-old male need to show off for a beautiful girl. He was completely smitten by Jessica and proceeded to do flips, roll down stairs, jump off of dressers, make goofy faces and loud noises. Anything he could do to get Jessica’s attention. While he can be quite a bundle of energy on a good day, this was completely over the top.

Jessica just laughed and took it in stride. I can only imagine what Mrs. Fashano and Jessica were thinking. This completely possessed, strutting peacock was to be Danielle’s ring bearer. They probably had images of flips and rolls down the aisle of the wedding ceremony. Needless to say, upon threats of no t.v. for life and anything else we could think of, Kent managed to keep his infatuation for Jessica under control during the wedding and behaved very gentlemanly. Jessica holds fond memories for me as she was my son’s “first crush.”