Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are two successful and iconic stars who are also one of Hollywood’s favorite love stories. Their relationship began in 1995, and by 2000, they were married with two beautiful kids.
However, they almost didn’t get together. By the time the two were finally ready to give love a chance, Smith was concluding his divorce from his first wife, Sheree Zampino, and when the papers were finally ready to sign, something happened that forced Smith to reconsider.
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As he later wrote, it was a selfless decision that Jada made at that moment that made him realize she was the woman for him. Read on to find out what decision she made and how it changed the course of their lives.
Zampino Wanted Them To Try Again
Smith waited until he and Zampino had filed for divorce to reach out to Jada, whom he had had his eye on before getting married. They began dating and kept their relationship a secret until the papers were signed and Smith was legally single.
However, just as the papers were ready to sign, Zampino threw a wrench into their plans by offering Smith a reconciliation and a chance to save their marriage. He wrote everything Zampino said in his recently released autobiography, “Will.”
Zampino told Smith, “I realized that I didn’t do everything I could have done to make this work. Neither of us did. I know we have our divorce papers, but we also have a son. And I think we owe it to him to do everything in our power to keep our family together.”
Her statements confused Smith. “I couldn’t believe it,” he wrote. “What am I supposed to do with that? Jada and I are in love. But if there’s a chance to preserve my family… How could I say no?”
Jada Pushed Smith To Reconcile With Zampino
When Smith told Jada everything Zampino said to him, he was shocked that she agreed with her and pushed him to give their marriage another chance. He wrote that she said, “Sheree is right. When you have a child with someone, it is your responsibility to do everything you can to create a loving home for them.”
She told him that as someone who grew up without both her parents, she understood what it could do to Trey, and despite her love for Smith, she wanted him to figure out his marriage with Zampino.
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Smith wrote that he knew she was sincere when she said this, and it touched him. He wrote, “I could tell she was crying. The restraining of her sniffles and tears made them all the more agonizing to hear. She steadied her breath, collecting herself; she cleared her throat.”
Smith Chose To Divorce Zampino
According to Smith’s statements, he was ready to try again at his marriage with Zampino. However, when he saw how willing Jada was to sacrifice her love and put Trey first, he knew she was the one for him.
He wrote, “I was overwhelmed by Jada’s selflessness. The willingness to put her own needs aside to do what she felt was right. Through tears and a breaking heart, she found resolve in loving kindness. I picked up a pen, and I signed my divorce papers.”
And after his divorce was finalized, Smith and Jada delved fully into their relationship. A few years later, they were married, and shortly after, they had their first child. Smith and Jada were very open with Trey and Zampino, and they eagerly included Trey in their new family.
They Made Trey Feel Like Family
With the circumstances surrounding his marriage to Jada, Smith knew he had to blend Trey with his new family, and so, he sought the advice of a psychologist on how to do so. This birthed the plan that when Jaden was born, Trey would get to name the new baby.
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Smith wrote, “When Jaden was born, we tried to make sure that Trey was involved every step of the way. The psychologist suggested that we allow Trey — who was six at the time – to be part of naming the new baby. She instructed us that if Trey was part of the naming process, he would think of the new child as his brother. The choosing of the name would create a sense of ownership and connection.”
After a couple of horrible name incidents, Trey finally chose the name Christopher, after a friend he had just made in school. Smith chose Jaden, Jada chose Syre, and the new baby was named Jaden Christopher Syre Smith.
