In the heart of Westchester, Jeannie and Neal Cheng have built a life filled with love, laughter, resilience and four amazing kids. Their journey from long-distance romance to becoming pillars of the Westchester community is an uplifting story that spans the globe and illustrates the power of connection.
From Houston to Japan and Back Again
Jeannie and Neal’s love story began thousands of miles apart. Jeannie, originally from Houston, had moved to Japan to pursue her career when mutual friends started posting photos on social media. A particular face kept appearing in those pictures: Neal. Intrigued, Jeannie asked about him, and their friends were quick to introduce them when she eventually returned to Houston.
Their first meeting was anything but traditional.
“We met at a karaoke bar,” Jeannie says with a smile. “It was hard to talk because everyone was singing.”
But something clicked, and soon after, they had their first official date at a boba shop that quickly turned into a hilarious story. Normally, calm, cool and prepared for anything Neal found himself in a rush to meet Jeannie after a sporting event. He forgot to bring cash and the boba shop didn’t accept his credit card. He tried to quietly leave his driver’s license as collateral while he ran to an ATM, but the well-intentioned cashier shouted after him, “Hey, you forgot your driver’s license! Sir!” loud enough for everyone to hear, outing his plan.
“I was like, ‘Why did you leave your driver’s license?’” says Jeannie.
“It was so embarrassing,” laughs Neal. “But I guess it worked out in the end.”
After just a few months of dating, they could feel a deep closeness starting to grow.
“You know, there was one night where we just had this really long conversation about life, and we were opening up to each other about all these things like our family lives and stuff that we normally don’t share with anyone else. During that conversation, both of us were thinking, ‘Whoa! For us to be able to open up to somebody new and spill all the secrets, we knew that we had a connection,’” Jeannie says as Neal nods his head in agreement.
Jeannie then moved back to Japan for work, so the couple spent the next year navigating a long-distance relationship, with Neal making several trips to visit her.
“It was the experience of a lifetime to be able to fly over there and see what her day-to-day life was and experience another culture and country. It was great,” he adds.
But having to return to Texas alone, knowing his love was on the other side of the world, made his heart ache.
“That was the real test,” Neal says. “If you can survive long-distance, you can survive anything.”
Turns out the old adage is true: distance does make the heart grow fonder, and in 2014, they tied the knot and settled in Los Angeles. Together at last, they were on to the next adventure.
Building a Family in Westchester
The Chengs moved to the Osage area of Westchester in 2018. They were drawn to the neighborhood for its family-friendly vibe and proximity to the Mandarin program at Braddock Drive Elementary in Culver City. Their three oldest children—Emerie (10), Zadyn (8), and Auden (6)—are thriving there, and Maeva (4), will join her siblings there, as soon as she graduates from the preschool programs at WPNS Cooperative learning Center and Chia Seed Learning Center.
“Westchester just felt right. We wanted a place where the kids could grow up surrounded by friends and a strong community,” says Jeannie.
Today, Neal works as Regional Sales Manager for Daikin, and Jeannie helps people look glam with her lash business, Emelash Studio. Ever the entrepreneur, she’s launching a charcuterie business this summer called “Oh Dreamie Co.”
A House Full of Energy and Sports
The Chengs are active participants in the local community, with many of the kids’ sports being coordinated through the Westchester Recreation Center and the Westchester Family YMCA. Jeannie, who serves on the Family Committee at the Y, helps organize events like the Spooktacular and Aloha Summer, ensuring that local families have plenty of opportunities to come together.
As a result of Neal and Jeannie’s involvement in the community, the Cheng household is anything but quiet. With four energetic kids involved in various activities, their days are packed with practices, games, performances and Cub Scouts.
“Our life revolves around sports: soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, basketball, tennis, judo, ballet, breakdancing, T-ball, and more!” laughs Jeannie.
Each child brings their own flair to the mix. Zadyn, who loves lacrosse, excitedly shares, “You can hit people with your stick!” What more could an 8-year-old boy want from a sport? Auden, who practices judo, admits with a grin that his favorite part is, “the fighting!”
While the two boys love expressing themselves physically, testing the boundaries of what they can accomplish within sports, Emerie enjoys expressing herself through theater and shares that she’s playing the coveted role of the White Rabbit in “Alice in Wonderland” at her school. Even little Maeva chimes in, saying she loves dancing, rounding off a full range of passions and interests the kids share that are endlessly supported by their parents and the plethora of enrichment opportunities available in 90045.
A Community That Shows Up
The Chengs experienced firsthand just how special Westchester truly is during one of the most challenging moments of their lives. In 2021, when their youngest daughter was just five weeks old, Jeannie’s brother unexpectedly passed away in Texas. The loss was devastating, and with four young children at home, including a newborn, life became overwhelming.
“I was trying to help my mom plan the funeral from across the country, all while managing a newborn and everything that comes with that,” Jeannie says. “We don’t have family here in California, so it was just us.”
That’s when the Westchester community stepped in. Without Jeannie even asking, her friends– and even strangers–organized a meal train, delivered activities for the kids, and helped shuttle them to their various games and practices.
“There were people I had never met before who were dropping off food. They just wanted to help, and it was incredible,” says Jeannie, getting emotional.
Neal echoes her sentiment.
“It’s one thing to have food delivered, but these people put real thought into what they were doing. They thought about what would help us the most and went out of their way to support us. It was another level of kindness,” he says.
A Forever Connection to Westchester
For the Chengs, Westchester isn’t just a neighborhood, it’s a place to lay down roots, and to have fun! Whether walking in the annual Fourth of July parade, participating in the 5K at LMU, or simply bumping into familiar faces at Trader Joe’s, they truly enjoy the place they’ve chosen to raise their family.
“Because our kids go to Braddock, they meet other local families through school and sports. It makes Westchester feel like a small town in the middle of a big city,” Jeannie says.
As their children grow and explore their many talents, from soccer and lacrosse to theater and dance, Jeannie and Neal are grateful that their journey led them to this vibrant, supportive town.
“When you’re down, that’s when you really feel people lifting you up. And in Westchester, we’ve felt that love and support in ways we never could have imagined,” says Jeannie.
For Jeannie and Neal, Westchester isn’t just where they live, it’s where their family belongs.
Story by Shanee Edwards. Photos by Zsuzsi Steiner.