Long Island’s most beloved artist, Billy Joel, once said, “You can’t go the distance with too much resistance.” However, 35-year-old Islip Terrace resident Gregory Chillak has proven that you can go the distance and overcome resistance with true love. His story of finding love is featured in Season 11 of 90 Day Fiancé.
During a 2018 visit to Arizona, Greg was seeking a fresh start. After spending time with a few old high school friends in a new setting, he concluded that the state did not yield the promise he hoped for, but the plane ride back to New York created a life-changing friendship.
On his flight, Ugandan entrepreneur Amos Wekesa was seated next to Greg. Wekesa shared the highlights of Ugandan culture and details about his successful safari exploration business, Great Lakes. After their six-hour flight, Amos gave Greg his contact information and invited him to Uganda.
Excited about the opportunity to experience something new, he booked his vacation and made plans to catch up with his new friend.
“The people over there are so friendly, the food was delicious. It was a complete 360 of what we are in New York. It was one of the best places I have ever visited,” Greg said in an interview with GSBN.
While planning his itinerary, Greg was immediately smitten by Joan Nansambu (Kruchov), an accountant at the hotel where he was staying and a director of a hospitality center that services impoverished kids.
The two of them clicked and were engaged in various conversations throughout his trip, but Greg failed to get her contact information upon leaving. A month later, after returning to Islip Terrace, Greg reviewed his Facebook notifications, and to his surprise, she friend requested him, which rekindled a whirlwind of emotions.
“I always thought about Joan and felt I had a good connection with her. I thought she was the one that got away,” said Greg.
The two became closer through months of communicating via social media. Greg continued his visits to Uganda to spend as much time as possible with Joan, which resulted in Greg proposing to her and applying for a K-1 Visa.
This visa, the centerpiece of the show 90 Day Fiancé, grants a foreign national a path to permanent residency under the condition that a marriage must occur within 90 days to a citizen upon arrival in the United States.
After a lengthy and complex process lasting a year and eight months, Joan received approval, allowing her entry into the United States. While exploring their future together at a Bed & Breakfast, Greg introduced Joan to the show 90 Day Fiancé, which led them to consider sharing their story on the program.
After reaching out to the show’s production company representatives, they interviewed Greg, Joan, and his mother, resulting in an agreement to feature their journey in season 11.
The first episode highlights Greg’s excitement at meeting Joan at the airport for the first time in the United States. To impress her with his baking skills, Greg baked an oversized artisan loaf of sourdough bread with her name on it. The warm welcome gradually shifted to the reality that Joan would move into Greg’s mother, Lucille’s house.
Lucille’s cynicism of the whole relationship shadowed Joan’s skepticism about the arrangements due to privacy. Reflecting on the role of the protective mother, Lucille stated in the first episode.
“Gregory could be a little naive regarding relationships,” said Lucille. “My fear is of him being taken advantage of because he’s very generous, caring, and trusting.”
In other episodes, the conflict of Joan wanting to contribute by getting a job but facing barriers through her immigration status is highlighted and demonstrates the affordability challenges of a single income in trying to find a place of their own.
“Meeting Joan was fate,” Greg said when asked about his plans for the future. I met Amos on December 1st on that plane ride back to New York, and Joan’s birthday is December 1st. God granted, I hope she likes it here. Living with my mother is an issue, but affording a home is tough on Long Island. Our shared ultimate goal is to settle down and have a family in our own home,”
Watch Joan and Greg’s journey is on TLC at 8 p.m. on Sunday.
