Their Bright Future is a Slam Dunk

By Debbie Lagestee

Christopher and Eddrina Brown have been married for 10 years. They met on the school bus on the first day of 9^th grade while attending Academic Magnet High School. This couple shares a plethora of similarities. They were both born and raised in West Ashley. Their parents still live in their respective childhood homes, only 5 minutes away from Carolina Bay. They each have an older brother living out of state in Las Vegas, NV, and NY. They both graduated from Middleton High School in 1999. They dated throughout high school and parted ways when they attended different universities.

Post-college, Christopher and Eddrina reunited and were married on a beautiful October day in 2010, at RiverOaks in Awendaw, SC. RiverOaks was not their first choice for their wedding. Unfortunately, the first venue they chose closed up shop without notice and took the couple’s deposit with them. Their wedding planner pulled some strings and managed to secure them a date at RiverOaks. The hassle was a blessing in disguise. The sun was shining as they exchanged their vows overlooking the Wando River, under the magnificent oaks. It was a gorgeous setting for a southern wedding. Eddrina and Christopher agree it was the exact place they were meant to begin their lives together.

Christopher earned his Bachelor of Science at Clemson University then attended Charleston Southern University, where he earned his MBA. Christopher has been working at Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic for 16 years. He is currently a Competency Supervisor/Contracting Officer. His position is responsible for procuring cyber intelligence for the Navy. Christopher volunteers his time and serves as a Mentor and Reading Buddy at Mary Ford Elementary School and a Lunch Buddy at Hanahan Middle School. As a Clemson graduate, attending the 2016 National Championship Game with Eddrina and watching Clemson beat Alabama was one of their best memories together.

Eddrina attended the College of Charleston, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree. She then continued her education at South Carolina State University, where she acquired her Master’s degree. Eddrina has a heart for people and works at John’s Island Post Acute. She is the Director of Rehabilitation; Speech-Language Pathologist. Eddrina is a volunteer at the Lowcountry Food Bank. In her free time, Eddrina enjoys being a Wineshop at Home Consultant.

Eddrina and Christopher have 2 children. Langston is 8 years old, and Harper is 5 years old. Langston plays piano, basketball, baseball, and he has recently taken up chess. Harper takes dance classes, plays T-ball, and has a fake YouTube channel. She makes videos on the iPad and encourages everyone to “like and subscribe.” Eddrina is confident none of her videos have been posted to the internet! Harper has lofty career goals for a 5-year-old. She wants to be a Chef, work at Target, be a female wrestler, and be on the Clemson Color Guard team. Langston is a 3^rd grader, and Harper is in kindergarten at St. Andrews School of Math & Science. Both kids love riding their bikes around the block and make a point to do it every day.

The Brown Family loves sports. They cheer for Clemson Football and the Charleston Riverdogs baseball team, but their true passion is basketball. They love all things basketball. They, along with Christopher’s Dad, have season tickets to the College of Charleston. Christopher coached high school basketball for 3 years, and together Christopher and Eddrina have been coaching youth basketball for 8 years. They began coaching before they had kids of their own and now have the privilege of coaching Langston. Harper has been on the court by their side since a very young age. She has her own whistle and calls herself “mini-coach”. She looks forward to joining a team as a player this year. Christopher and Eddrina have a goal to attend an NBA game in every NBA city. On their honeymoon in Los Angeles, they went to home Clippers and Lakers games on back-to-back nights. So far, they have been to 6 out of 30 arenas. Christopher laughs, “It seemed like a really good idea before we had kids.” It may take them a while, but they are dedicated to reaching their goal.

Eddrina and Christopher love being involved in their church, Lighthouse Christian Center, which meets at Fort Dorchester High School. Christopher is a Board Member and serves on the Finance Committee. Eddrina shares her gifts as a Praise and Worship Leader. On Sundays, during baseball season, they go to every Riverdogs game for Family Sunday Funday. The kids get a thrill out of running the bases. When not at sporting events, the Brown family loves to play outside, and their favorite indoor activity is playing board games together. As a family, they love to travel. They have a family tradition on Labor Day weekend to stay on Kiawah Island. They enjoy short trips to Myrtle Beach, going to Medieval Times, where the kids root for their favorite Knight! Far and away, their favorite place to visit is Disney. So far, Langston has been 2 times. Harper has been once. They have also been on a Disney Cruise. In 2022, they will again visit “The Most Magical Place on Earth.”

Living close to both sets of parents has been a blessing for all of them. Their favorite tradition is Christmas morning. The grandparents arrive early in the morning for breakfast. Although the food is not the highlight of the day for the kids, they know what comes after breakfast. The kids feel the love and joy of being surrounded by their mom, dad, and grandparents as they cheerfully open their Christmas presents. It is a tradition Christopher and Eddrina hope will continue for many years to come.

Eddrina and Christopher have lived in Carolina Bay for 9 years. Eddrina led the charge to build a house in the neighborhood. After a year, Christopher was finally convinced it was the right decision. They built their first home in the Essex subdivision of Carolina Bay. They lived in that home for 4 years, then while pregnant with Harper, they decided a bit more space was necessary. Neither wanted to leave Carolina Bay. Eddrina said, “We loved the activities, and the community feel. We also loved our neighbors so much, so we moved just one street over.” 5 years later, they are still delighted with their decision to build their 2^nd home in Essex. Christopher and Harper try not to miss a Food Truck Friday -she is the adventurous eater of the kids. The whole family enjoys the holiday events and amenities in the neighborhood.

Christopher and Eddrina have known each other for more than half their lives. After 10 years of marriage, 2 kids, and 2 houses later, they adopted the philosophy ‘Team Brown’. They appreciate that their faith, sharing similarities, and interests gave them a strong foundation. Deep in their hearts, they know their bright future is a slam dunk!