Married for more than 30 years now, Joel and Joy Rustia have managed to build a dynamic partnership, raising three wonderful daughters and several thriving businesses along the way. And their love story all started rather serendipitously.
Joel Rustia and the former Joy Wambangco first met at South Street Seaport, New York City, in 1992. Although their respective fates started to change before the night was over, they weren’t even supposed to be the main players on that cold early summer evening.
The only link that connected them was a common friend named Willie Lazaro. Joy was there at the request of Willie, who was in search of a potential girlfriend. Joel, who had been living in the Big Apple for a good number of years, brought along with him a bevy of young ladies for Willie to meet.
Willie failed to find a connection with any of Joel’s women-friends. Instead, it was Joel who ended up being enamored with Joy. So much so that he instinctively draped his jacket on Joy as soon as the entire group stepped outdoors after watching a concert. The scene would have been cute, even romantic, except for the fact that Joel completely forgot he was with another woman.
“I was stunned—and honestly, a little embarrassed,” Joy confesses. As for Joel’s date, she wore an expression that could only be best described in Filipino as mukhang di maipinta.
“She looked like she was plotting Joel’s demise right there and then,” says Joy in between giggles.
That started the ball rolling. The fact that the pair shared a passion for skiing, which later became a perfect excuse for them to go out on weekend dates, hastened the process.
They were initially married in civil rites in the United States in 1993 before again exchanging wedding vows in church a year later in the Philippines.
“At first, I didn’t like the idea of leaving New York, but I had to follow and do whatever would make my wife happy,” he says. “Thank God, I compromised. Not only is my wife happy, our three daughters grew up to be respectful, grounded, motivated and God-fearing individuals. And I’m happy with how our life turned out in the Philippines.”–Alex Y. Vergara
Read the full story in PeopleAsia’s latest issue, coming out next week.
