When Noel Leaman found himself in a jam in Taiwan, “friend” Micky was there for him to pick him up on her scooter and go grab his belongings as he awaited potential deportation. Micky wasn’t sure about him at that moment and thought he was a playboy because of his long, luscious blonde locks and his ability to make all of her coworkers swoon.
That was in 1988 as Noel and his band “Notorious” toured abroad. Neither of them could have possibly imagined that they would run into each other at a bar in Detroit three years later. Fate was Micky’s best explanation for the run-in as she and Noel got to know each other, started dating in 1991, got married in 1994 and had their daughter, Jaden, in 1997.
The whole thing was an unbelievable blur that spanned two continents and brought Noel in front of a woman who seems to impress him more every day.
“She’s a very hard worker,” Noel said. “She is dedicated and honest to a fault. She’s fair but stern with her office workers and because English is her second language, she can’t candy coat issues which mostly works to her favor. She comes right to the point. She’s also fun and likes to travel and experience new cultures.”
When it’s time to have fun, Micky is there for it and knows how to let loose. But whether it’s her family, her job or just about anything else, she is intent on getting down to business and giving it everything she’s got. It’s something Noel has admired about her for a long time, that she has a standard for herself and others and makes sure she sticks to those standards.
Micky’s incredible work ethic has shined on countless occasions, but a few big ones really jump out to Noel. One would be the fact that she beat cancer. Another is the work she put into her education with a bachelor’s degree in 1996 and a masters in 2002. “She is hard working and dedicated to family,” Noel said.
Micky loves and adores her pets. “Our last dog Meishi had diabetes and turned blind, and Micky gave her shots and kept her alive for 10 years longer than she should’ve lived.” Besides pampering her pooches, she can be found sipping wine, watching Korean soap operas on Netflix and, on the rarest of occasions, getting “naked and stupid when she gets super drunk,” according to Noel. Those are some of Noel’s favorite memories of their time together, along with their first house they bought in 2003 and trips to Mexico, Dominican Republic, Melbourne, Taiwan, Toronto, London, Barcelona, Rome and Jamaica.
In terms of their day-to-day life, Noel couldn’t possibly be more impressed with Micky as a mother and the way she handed down some of her best qualities to Jaden. “She instilled good character, self independence, and virtues in our daughter,” Noel said. He is also eternally grateful that he found someone who can put up with him on a daily basis. “She puts up with me and my manly quirks and non-listening habits.”
As in Chinese culture, Micky holds family in the highest regard. This is undoubtedly true for Noel and Jaden, but also for extended family with whom Micky has real, intimate relationships… even though much of her family still resides in Taiwan. She invests all her energy into the people and things that matter most to her, which makes her the best kind of mom, wife and friend.
For all of those things, and many, many more, Noel is grateful to know Micky and to be loved by her.
“She’s appreciated and I love her,” Noel said. “Best wife ever.”