Photos courtesy of Dominic Gutierrez.

The third born. A second brother named Sergio. Fathers with the same birth month and date. A two letter difference between their names.

Eric and Ericka Gutierrez have quite a few things in common, connections that make their love story fate.

The two were just one year apart when they attended Sunset High School, graduating in the late ’90s. As a member of the football team and a cheerleader, their paths often crossed, but they never truly connected until after Ericka graduated.

Eric remembers meeting Ericka as a freshman when she was a sophomore in the lunch room.

“I was sitting at the same table with some friends, and we have mutual friends and just trying to get to know her,” he says. “She was pretty popular in school, so really I don’t think she paid much attention.”

Ericka says she doesn’t remember their exact meeting in the lunch room, but recalls him throwing a couple of Sonic ice cubes just trying to get her attention.

“We did know who each other was,” she says with a laugh. “I did take one of his pictures (from the yearbook) because I thought he was cute.”

Although Ericka graduated from Sunset in ’97, she stuck around the area. One time she had gone up to the school to check a friend out of class while Eric was in the office as a student helper.

“On this one occasion, she was walking in with a friend, checking her out to give her a ride. I guess I built up enough courage to ask her for her phone number, which she gave to me,” he says. “I remember calling her that day. We spoke a little bit, or maybe she returned my call. Whatever it was, I misplaced the piece of paper that she wrote her phone number (on), but back then, we had caller ID. Well, I never called. I didn’t call. I knew the number was saved on caller ID, so that was my backup.”

His backup ended up busted. A couple days later somebody had unplugged the caller ID, and her number was erased. They didn’t reconnect again until July 1999.

Going out that night in his recently purchased first vehicle, Eric saw Ericka and a couple of friends walking out of a club. He asked for her number once again. She complied and added that he should call her in 30 minutes.

After dropping off their friend, he gave her a call after 25 minutes. When he asked what she was doing that night, at this point after 2 a.m., she replied she was going to sleep.

For their first date, Eric brought over some Miami Subs. About six months later, they were searching for an apartment together.

From there, Eric says he quickly learned his way to her heart was through food.

“Feeding her, taking her to a place she hasn’t been before and just trying to introduce her to the foods,” he says. “I think we kicked it up pretty, pretty fast.”

Early on in their relationship, Eric recalls potentially setting the bar too high. For her first birthday gift, he bought her a gold nugget bracelet.

Ericka says she still has it. She remembers him putting it on her at the movies.

Once they were pregnant with their first child, they began the house search, later finding a place in Pleasant Grove in 2001.

This March will be their 25th marriage anniversary. Their advice on reaching that milestone lies in traveling together, communication and dates.

“Eating, yes, eating for sure,” Eric says. “Communication, I think, is key, too. I know after COVID, or during COVID, I unfortunately lost both of my parents. I think since then, just trying to make the most out of events or just things that we have planned, things that we’re trying to do, with family members or just each other. People are taken every day, and it’s all in God’s plan, but tomorrow is not guaranteed.”