Terri Nicole Wade and Christopher KS Fung’s relationship began unexpectedly in July 2020, marking the start of a connection that would soon deepen amidst life’s challenges. Wade, a speaker and life coach based in California, had just resolved to move on from a long-term on-and-off relationship when Fung, a deputy sheriff with the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department, approached her at a friend’s barbecue in Belmont, California, offering to help carry her groceries.
The two, both 38, soon made plans for a hike and shared their first kiss overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Within two weeks, Fung asked Wade to be his girlfriend. Their early days as a couple were tested by the sudden death of Wade’s mother, who was also her best friend and roommate. Fung was among the first to provide support during Wade’s grief, accompanying her to Santa Cruz to scatter her mother’s ashes.
Wade described Fung as her “safe space” amid life’s uncertainties during their wedding on August 16, 2026, at San Ramon Waters in the San Francisco Bay Area. The couple selected the date due to its auspicious significance in Chinese numerology: the number eight symbolizes wealth and prosperity, while sixteen denotes a smooth life path. Their ceremony, officiated by Steve Siglin of World Christianity Ministries, incorporated a unity candle ritual involving Fung’s three children from previous relationships, ages 10 to 16, symbolizing their blended family.
Fung grew up in San Francisco as the son of Chinese immigrants, who instilled in him a strong work ethic and determination. He pursued studies in law enforcement at the College of San Mateo and completed a bachelor’s degree in applied arts and sciences online through the University of North Texas during the pandemic. Alongside his duties as a deputy sheriff, he manages an online business selling Pokémon cards and related merchandise.
Wade, originally from Foster City, California, holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of California, Riverside, and an M.B.A. from Notre Dame de Namur University. Until recently, she worked in university admissions before focusing full-time on her coaching practice and a forthcoming memoir centered on positive psychology and resilience.
The couple’s engagement took place in May 2025 during a trip to Paris with Wade’s father and stepmother, where Fung proposed against the illuminated backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. Their wedding honored family bonds, including tributes to deceased relatives displayed at the reception, and reflected a shared emphasis on love, connection, and mutual support. Wade noted that her late mother, who had expressed reservations about some of her daughter’s previous partners, had embraced Fung warmly before her passing, sending Wade a text the night before her death expressing happiness that Wade had “let love in.”