EXCLUSIVEWhy Ross Mathews Chose 'Soulmate' Drew Barrymore to Write Foreword of His and Husband Dr. Wellinthon García-Mathews' New Children's Book
Ross Mathews and Dr. Wellinthon García-Mathews' new children's book, 'Tio and Tio: The Ring Bearers,' hit shelves on April 15.
Ross Mathews and Dr. Wellinthon García-Mathews' love story is officially straight out of a fairytale!
The Emmy-winning television host and his husband exclusively sat down with OK! ahead of the release of their inspiring new children's book, Tío and Tío: The Ring Bearers — which hit shelves on Tuesday, April 15 — to share how their idea came to life, what they hope both kids and adults take away from the tale and why A-list actress Drew Barrymore was the perfect person to write the picture book's foreword.
'Tio and Tio: The Ring Bearers' is based on Ross Mathews and Dr. Wellinthon García-Mathews' real-life wedding story.
Considering Tío and Tío: The Ring Bearers is based on Mathews and the renowned educator's real-life wedding in Mexico — where The Drew Barrymore Show producer's dear friend and boss hilariously served as the flower girl for the nuptials — García-Mathews and his husband couldn't think of someone better to introduce the opening page of their book.
"She's a big part of our story," Mathews said of Barrymore. "I met Wellinthon right before my mom passed away. Then after my mom passed away, I met Drew and the world brought me to New York where Wellinthon was living. I think my mother had something to do with that."
Drew Barrymore wrote the foreword for 'Tio and Tio: The Ring Bearers' after serving as the flower girl in Ross Mathews' actual wedding.
"I really feel like I've met two soulmates in Wellinthon and Drew," he admitted, comedically noting how the couple "turned her into a little girl in the book because it's hard to explain having the biggest movie star in the world [as one's flower girl]."
"Because she had a front row seat to our love story, because she was there as our actual flower girl, it made so much sense for her to write the foreword," Mathews continued.
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Ross Mathews and Dr. Wellinthon García-Mathews' nephews are the main characters in their story.
Plus, Mathews and García-Mathews felt Barrymore embodied the main message they were trying to send when writing their children's book.
"No matter if you are one of the biggest movie stars in the world or an 8-year-old kid whose uncles are getting married, showing up is the most beautiful thing you can do for people," the Celebrity Big Brother alum expressed, with García-Mathews noting how the story came to life after he realized how "serious" his nephews were taking on the role of ring bearer.
Ross Mathews and Dr. Wellinthon García-Mathews tied the knot in 2022.
"It was literally at that moment when they were about to go on. I recall my brother-in-law showing them how to walk — they were so nervous and taking it so seriously," García-Mathews said.
"They were like, 'How do we make sure we do this in unison? Let's make sure we don't drop a ring,'" he remembered of his nephews.
After witnessing the "cute moment," García-Mathews realized it was also an extremely "teachable" one.
"For me, it was just one of those things... I turned to [Ross] and I said, 'Babe, this is something we could definitely shine a light on because this moment is so unique and it shows responsibility,'" García-Mathews explained. "It shows their part in our wedding and how they showed up for us."
