Andreas David Oriettas was born and raised in Athens, Greece. As a child, David was intelligent, energetic, and influential. He enjoyed playing basketball, piano, and soccer with his friends. David’s high school years were spent playing on the Greek national team, the ACS school team and a travel team, all while balancing the IB academic program. In 2010, he moved to the United States to follow his dreams of playing basketball and studying to become a doctor. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Colby-Sawyer College in 2014, and pursued his doctoral studies at Howard University School of Dentistry in Washington D.C. in 2015.

DeJaNeal Jameaque Brown was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. As a child, she was intuitive, nurturing, and confident. She enjoyed cheerleading, dancing, and serving in her church and community. In high school, DeJaNeal was an active leader in the competitive cheerleading program, served as a peer tutor, student ambassador, and Miss Birmingham 2014. She received acceptance to Georgetown University upon graduating in 2015 and moved to Washington, D.C. that fall with dreams to study in the Nation’s capital. She pursued journalism, pre-dental sciences, and ultimately would complete her Bachelor’s in Healthcare Management and Policy in 2019.

God was orchestrating a divine match that would challenge David and DeJaNeal’s faith, commitment, and hearts with true love. While these two pursued impactful visions for their individual futures, their paths crossed during their third years’ of studying in Washington, D.C. In a sudden and unexpected turn of events, David and DeJaNeal met on a dating app, knowing little about one another. David’s profile included photos of him cliff diving, grilling, and providing dental care to a patient. DeJaNeal’s first impression of him was that he was adventurous, handsome, and caring. She swiped right, and they matched right away!

DeJaNeal messaged David to say hello, and to learn more about his program. She had just settled on Health Management for her major and knew Dentistry was a demanding academic path. She asked whether he was a hygienist or a dentist. Dave responded saying, “I’ll be a dentist by next year, God willing”. She responded, “Oh my goodness, I am so proud of you. I wanted to be a pediatric dentist and orthodontist for a very long time. My passions have since changed, but I know how much hard work you’ve put in”. David was pleasantly surprised by DeJaNeal’s response, enjoyed chatting with her, and pursued her.

On March 21, 2018, the two went on their first date to Ozman’s Steak and Eggs in NW DC, followed by a visit to the National Gallery of Art. There was no denying the pair’s effortless friendship, shared passions for healing professions, and the deep sense of belonging they felt. They had the same core values of following Christ, serving others, prioritizing their future family, and sharing both the good and bad times with their equal partner. They found comfort in spending quality time with one another, supported one another through difficult life transitions, and complimented one another’s strengths and weaknesses. They both left that first date feeling they had met their forever person. Four years later, on March 21, 2022 David surprised DeJaNeal with a special proposal coordinated with her mother and two close friends to ask for her hand in marriage.

DeJaNeal and David are pleased to announce their engagement, and invite you to be a part of their special day!