Preloading

An Unforgettable Serenade from a Devoted Husband

Aired on 02/14/1989 | CC tv-pg
On Valentine's Day in 1989, Oprah held the second annual Husband of the Year contest—a lighthearted competition in which spouses expressed their unwavering love for each other.

One finalist's wife, Eartha Johnson, described how her husband, Lonnie, was incredibly supportive, and stepped up to take care of their three children when she moved away to fulfill her dream of going to law school.

"I didn't see how he was going to pull it off, but somehow he managed," Eartha said. "Through the struggle, my husband has never once made me regret my decision or even hinted that it's been too much of a burden on him."

When Oprah asked Lonnie why he loved his wife, he broke into Atlantic Starr's hit R&B ballad "Always" in a stunningly romantic moment that left his wife in tears.