While the love story of Bobby and Cherry is certainly wonderful, it is not your typical romantic fairy tale. These two have been married for 40 years already. While on the outside everything looked great, behind the scenes Bobby was keeping a secret from his wife. However, this secret is ultimately revealed and transforms everything Cheryl once knew.
Cheryl Love thought she knew everything about her husband, Bobby. After four decades of marriage, raising four children, and living what appeared to be a picture-perfect life, the last thing Cheryl expected was a secret that would turn her entire world upside down. Yet, on an ordinary January morning in 2015, everything changed.
The couple had been living quietly in New York, deeply involved in their community and church. Bobby was known as a hardworking, loving family man. But Cheryl’s life was transformed the moment she answered a knock at the door, expecting it to be yet another visit concerning their troubled neighbor. Instead, twelve officers rushed into their home, many bearing the unmistakable letters of the FBI across their jackets.
Initially, Cheryl was calm, assuming it was a misunderstanding. But her confidence crumbled as the officers approached her husband and asked, “What’s your real name?” Within minutes, Bobby was handcuffed and escorted away, leaving Cheryl stunned and speechless.
Bobby Love was not who he seemed. Born Walter Miller in North Carolina, Bobby had spent his youth involved in petty crimes that gradually escalated. His trouble started with a seemingly innocent prank—yelling profanities at a Sam Cooke concert, resulting in his first arrest. But this minor offense snowballed into a life of crime, including thefts and robberies, landing him repeatedly in juvenile detention.
Walter’s life took a particularly severe turn after he robbed a bank equipped with a silent alarm in August 1971. Police swiftly apprehended him as he attempted to flee, and he was subsequently sentenced to 25 to 30 years in prison. His incarceration came with even greater heartbreak: he learned of his mother’s passing while behind bars. Determined to turn his life around, Walter aimed for a transfer to a lower-security facility.
His plan succeeded, but life in the minimum-security facility proved challenging in unexpected ways. After being unfairly accused by a prison captain, Walter faced a potential return to maximum security, a fate he desperately wanted to avoid. Assigned to humiliating road-cleaning duties in the bitter cold, he spotted an escape opportunity. Meticulously planning for months, he noted the guards’ lax security checks and chose his moment carefully.
One fateful morning, Walter bolted from the inmate transport bus and disappeared into the surrounding woods, never looking back. Catching a Greyhound bus to New York, he spontaneously adopted a new identity when asked his name by a fellow passenger: “Bobby Love.” In that instant, Walter Miller ceased to exist, and Bobby Love was born.
In New York, Bobby struggled initially but eventually secured new documents and employment. At the Baptist Medical Center cafeteria, he met Cheryl, the woman who would soon become his wife. They married in 1985, building a life filled with love, children, and hard work.
Together they raised Jasmine, Jessica, and twins Justin and Jordan. Yet, despite this apparent domestic bliss, Bobby lived under the constant shadow of his hidden past, always afraid that one day, the truth would catch up with him.
Over the years, Cheryl occasionally sensed something was off. Bobby avoided having his photo taken, was anxious in crowds, and refused to give directions. Still, she never imagined the magnitude of the secret he kept hidden. Even during arguments, when Bobby would withdraw emotionally, Cheryl attributed his behavior to normal marital strains. She never suspected her husband was actually a fugitive.
The revelation by the FBI shattered Cheryl. She grappled with feelings of betrayal and confusion. However, despite the shock, her love for Bobby remained steadfast. Determined to fight for her husband, Cheryl tirelessly advocated on his behalf. She wrote letters to authorities, even reaching out to Governor Cuomo and President Obama, highlighting Bobby’s character, his transformation, and his dedication as a husband and father.
For Bobby, incarceration was devastating, but he accepted his fate, expecting to serve the remainder of his sentence. Yet, something remarkable occurred: a year after his arrest, Bobby was granted parole. Whether due to Cheryl’s unwavering support, his exemplary behavior, or both, Bobby returned home.
Upon his release, Bobby shared the full truth of his past life as Walter Miller. Cheryl faced the hardest decision of her life, choosing forgiveness over resentment. She saw in Bobby the man who had tirelessly supported and loved their family, not the young man who had once made grave mistakes.
Their children rallied around Bobby, understanding and forgiving without judgment. For them, the father they had always known was Bobby Love, not Walter Miller. The family decided to leave the past behind, embracing the future with newfound honesty and openness.
Cheryl and Bobby now feel closer than ever. Reflecting on their journey, Cheryl acknowledges the profound hurt caused by Bobby’s secrecy but chooses to focus on his transformation and the genuine life they built together. Today, Bobby Love’s story is not merely one of redemption but a powerful testament to the resilience of love and forgiveness in the face of incredible adversity.
When asked whether they identified as the Loves or the Millers, Bobby didn’t hesitate: “We love.” With the secret finally behind them, Bobby and Cheryl discovered a deeper bond, cherishing their second chance at a life filled with honesty, understanding, and unshakeable devotion.
