our Story

On January 24, 2022, they day started like every-other-day. We woke up, we had breakfast, we said our goodbyes, and both headed out the door to work. We were excited because we both knew we were leaving for vacation in the morning not only to relax, but to celebrate our marriage that happened 6 weeks prior. Little did I know, this goodbye was going to be very different. In many ways, it was final goodbye. You see, that afternoon, my love, Susan (top picture on left), while in physical therapy for her shoulder, suffered a massive right frontal lobe hemorrhagic stroke which was the beginning of 297 days of hospitalization, 2 craniotomies, 2 brain aneurysms, secondary ischemic strokes, severe left side neglect, and left side permanent paralysis. This day began our new life.

Fast forward to October of that year when the second craniotomy due to the second brain aneurysm happened, my employer, at the time terminated, me through email in the middle of the night. Knowing that everything in my personal world had changed and everything, and I mean EVERYTHING had fallen on me, I had some decisions to make. I was not sure what I was going to do but I knew I had to figure it out. Owning a restaurant was NEVER on my radar and it has never been a dream of mine. When I went to ICU to see Susan that evening, I just stared at her and cried. I looked at all of the tubes and machines that she was hooked back up to and all I could do was cry. When the nurses came in to usher me out because ICU visiting hours were over, I leaned over, kissed her on the forehead, and whispered “I promise sweetheart, I will take care of everything”.

That night, I decided to open a restaurant. I jumped in my vehicle and rode all over Wilmington and Leland looking for an available restaurant space. To no avail that evening, I started again the next morning after I left ICU. By the end of the afternoon, I had found an available space. By 4pm I had met with the owners, had a lease in my email by 7:30pm and signed it by 8pm. At this point, I did not even have a name for my restaurant.

After 4 hours of crying and begging God to make everything better, I remember thinking that God is always gracious and if He gives you something, be grateful for it. I google translated “God is gracious” and the word Ciana popped up. It was then that I knew Ciana was the name of my restaurant for truly God is gracious and without His grace, none of this would be possible. Susan is the reason behind my drive and God’s graciousness is my saving grace. I have had an amazing 35+ year career in the restaurant industry but this by far is my most favorite time. It is not because I own the restaurant, it is simply because I have been given a way to take care of my wife and THAT is all I need!