When Eldridge Buchanan married Asia Green Buchanan in October, he decided to share his vows not only to his bride but also to her son, Kayden.
The emotional moment was captured on camera by the couple's videographer, A Love Experience, who then shared a clip of it in January. The Instagram video of the impromptu vows has since gone viral, racking up over 45,000 likes.
"I want you to know, Kayden, that we're going [to] have fun. We're definitely going to do homework," Buchanan begins in the clip. "But I want you to know that with everything in my body, Kayden, I'm going to pour into you to make sure that you grow up to be a young Black king that you are."
"I'm gonna teach you how to be a leader. I'm gonna teach you how to be a man of integrity, a man of respect, a man that values himself," Buchanan continues. "And most importantly, I'ma show you every single day what it looks like for a man to love a woman and to love his family and to lead his family so that when you grow up, you will know exactly what that looks like and you'll know exactly what that feels like. So I vow to you from this day forward that I'm gonna love you, I'm gonna teach you, I'm gonna guide you and I'm gonna pour into you because you are a king. And you're my king. I love you, man."
Buchanan told "Good Morning America" he decided to share vows with Kayden just five minutes before he walked down the aisle, but he felt strongly about the message he wanted to deliver to the 7-year-old, whom he refers to as his son.
"It was just kind of a heartfelt moment, a reiteration of things that we talk about on a daily basis," Buchanan said. "I just really wanted him to know in that special moment, not only was I going to give a vow to his mom, but I was giving a vow to him, as well, as my son."
Buchanan and Green Buchanan started dating in 2018, and in addition to Kayden developing "a great relationship with his biological father," Buchanan said he's also built a strong bond with the young boy in the last five years.
"It's funny, I always joke with Asia that I fell in love with Kayden first and then her," he said.
But Green Buchanan, who didn't know her now-husband was going to share vows with their son, said she feels "very lucky" to have found a partner like him, who cares for Kayden and his future.
"It feels very special, just being able to find someone, a good partner to be able to share these responsibilities with and to rely on and to have such a good role model for Kayden," she said.
The couple said they were "so surprised" by the viral reaction to Buchanan's vows to Kayden, but Buchanan said he's "happy that the video is out there."
"I think it's very important for men in general, but especially Black men to be able to vocalize their love to their kids," he said.
"I know sometimes there can be a stigma about men crying and being too emotional and you have to raise boys to be tough and things of that nature. So, I viewed it as it's OK to show emotion and show love to your kids," he added.
