Dear Mr. Perry.

Dear Mr. Perry,

I was advised to write you this letter from a very dear friend who I regard as a sister. I do not believe you will ever see this letter so I will continue to write it as a therapeutic. I wanted to thank you for your talent, your plays and books and just being you. I hope you don’t mind me starting from the beginning. I came across your work by traveling to Atlantic City from New York on a bus ride. Yes they were playing “Madea’s Family Reunion” on bootleg on the way back. It was so funny and Madea's character reminded me of my grandmother, Jessie. She was a 6ft tall heavy set beautiful woman. I could relate and I enjoyed the implementation of Church and Gospel in the storyline.

In 2003, I was in a toxic relationship. I didn’t know it at the time. The trip to Atlantic City was the first time I went away by myself (without my kids) to have some fun with family. After seeing the play I was hooked. I came back home to New York and started looking you up, I ordered the DVD because I wanted my significant other to see the play. When the DVD arrived I played it and in my mind I assumed for the next two hours I would be having a good time with my son’s father.

While I was enjoying the video I noticed that the man that I was with was not enjoying it or purposely not laughing like he wasn’t getting the jokes. He is from Puerto Rico but I am not using that as an excuse. He just didn’t want to see it. This is not an embellishment, my eyes started to open to his toxicity that day. I then realized that I needed an outlet to be happy. I began attending your plays. I saw Madea’s Family Reunion at least FOUR times. Twice in New York, once in New Jersey and Philadelphia.

I counted on going to those plays. It was for ME. I pampered myself. I tried to look my best each time I went to see your plays. If I was too early I went and treated myself to dinner. Your productions was my OUTLET, my FREEDOM. Every play after Madea’s Family Reunion I attended and I travelled to where I got the best seats. I was always in the first five rows. One of my most exciting times is when your play, “Why Did I Get Married” was playing at the Beacon Theater and even though you were not in the play you sat right in front of me. That was my life that evening. I didn’t fan out, I sat in my seat and enjoyed the play.

I bought my ticket to travel to Philadelphia in October of 2004 to see “Meet The Browns”. My seat was right behind the Orchestra. It was on a Saturday and on that day my significant other asked me if I was still going to Philadelphia and I replied yes and the next thing he said was he was leaving. At first I didn’t believe him because there were no altercation or arguments for this decision to take place. He said he was serious and I was struck, dumbfounded and confused. He began to pack to move out and I had a decision to make.

The decision was this, should I stay home to find out why this man was leaving me and his sons(again). Try to beg him to stay in the relationship. Our older son just started High School, the youngest boy was still in elementary. Or should I continue with my plans to go to Philadelphia and try to enjoy myself. Of course I made the decision to go. Why do you ask? The reason was simple. I knew if I would have stayed, he was still going to leave and I believe that I would have snapped. One or both of us would have been hurt.

I always tell people that Tyler Perry saved two people's lives that day. Did I enjoy the play? It was good but I couldn’t enjoy it because I had anxiety the whole trip but I knew I made the right decision. Mr. Perry my life were your plays. You probably heard that before. I let that man go because we were not happy and I knew I was holding onto nothing. Now here is the good part. Within three years I eventually met my future husband. A beautiful man that came into our lives to be the man and husband for me and a responsible father figure to my sons. It will be 12 years this September 20th. The storylines of your plays resonated in me, the advice you gave, I took it to heart. Thank you.