Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Update From Christian's Friend

My name is Tony Cianciolo. I am 18 and currently enrolled at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California. Christian and I have been friends since our sophomore year in high school, where we played golf for three years. I can honestly say he is one of my best friends.

I actually met Angel through Chad (who was Christian's best man at the wedding) and the two of us dated for about a month when we were in high school. Needless to say, the relationship didn't work out between the two of us and soon Christian took over her life in full force. I remember that by our senior year the two of them were inseparable.

When I first heard that Angel was pregnant, I was hesitant about whether she and Christian were ready for such a major commitment. But I made it apparent to Christian that Chad and I would be there through the struggle. Then, with the birth of Christian and Angel's son, Tanner Mason Bartonico, came the idea of marriage, which, in all honesty, I was completely against.

I felt that by getting married at a young age Christian was sacrificing his future and putting everything -- including school, friends and family -- on hold. I remember sitting on the couch the night before the wedding thinking that it would be the last time Christian would be able to let loose and just be himself. Seeing him constantly struggle to pay rent scared me so much that I vowed not to get married before I owned my own place.

The wedding itself was one of the most stressful days of my life. I think we took 10,000 pictures, and the bride's mother kept yelling at the kids for not smiling. Seeing Christian shaking up until the minute they said "I do" just made me hope that my girlfriend didn't get any ideas. In the end, I think it worked out for the best. Although Angel and Rose (Christian's mom) still don't see eye to eye, I think that eventually time will heal all of the broken bonds.

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5 Comments:

At June 28, 2007 at 9:13 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tony, from your honest and well written post, I would say that Christian is very lucky to have you in his life and I hope that he will take your honesty to heart and realize that you are a true friend wanting what is best for him even if it isn't the popular opinion.
Enjoy your time in college, and know how lucky you are, that you are getting to live the life that Christian had taken from him...so continue to make those better choices and hopefully Christian will be allowed to still hang out with you guys.

 
At July 2, 2007 at 8:11 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

congrats!

 
At July 2, 2007 at 7:05 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

What is all this about the life Christian "had taken from him?" That is a ridiculous thing to say! Two people choose to get married, just as they choose to have sex and have a child. It sounds as if this post was in pity of your "friend" instead of being excited for him, and the new path in life he has chosen.

I am glad I don't have "friends" like you.

 
At July 3, 2007 at 6:49 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tony, that was an incredibly honest post. Although I know that the intent of Engaged and Underaged isn't to push couples to marry early, it can have a glamorizing effect. Getting married at a young age is hard. I really hope that MTV continues to do follow-ups on the couples that got married at such a young age, and if a couple would choose to get a divorce, they would report that as well. That's something that can happen, no matter what age you are or how long you've been married. Obviously, I hope that would not happen to any of the couples on the show, and I would never wish that upon anybody.

Thank you for sharing your opinion with everybody. It was nice to read a different opinion/outlook.

 
At July 8, 2007 at 11:03 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Marriage is not a death sentence, contrary to what most men believe. You can go to school and be married I think it is actually better to have someone there supporting you and motivating you. You can have friends when you are married and if you lose him as a friend then maybe you were not that great of friends to start with. Friends are there for each other they do not try to talk them out of love or tell them negative thing they support each other!

 

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