BALTIMORE — What started as a small interaction in Baltimore has turned into inspiration for people around the world.

In between showings in Federal Hill Sunday, realtor Alyssia Essig parked at the Museum of Industry to eat lunch.

It’s where 19-year-old Asen Gyenyame was practicing a tough skateboard trick.

“I probably sat there for a solid 20 minutes watching him continue to try,” said Essig. “I know the power of being told that someone believes in you, so I just thought I’m gonna hop out of the car real quick, give him a little love, and then be on my way.”

And that’s what she did, unknowingly on camera.

“Whatever you do in your life, you’re going to knock it out of the park. Only because you’re sitting here, busting your (expletive) to nail this one trick. You’ll do that the rest of your life,” Essig told him.

“I didn’t expect what she gave me,” said Gyenyame.

He was inspired. Minutes later, he nailed the trick. The next day, he decided to post the interaction on TikTok.

“It got a lot of traction,” said Gyenyame.

In just a few days, it has captured the hearts of millions of people.

“I think we made the world a little better just because of it,” said Gyenyame.

But Essig had no idea… until her husbands’ friend in California saw it on Reddit.

“I was crying reading these comments because it seems like people are so starved for love and attention and affection, “said Essig.

They hadn’t even exchanged names.

Scripps Baltimore station WMAR’s Abby Isaacs found them both on social media. It brought them together for a heartfelt reunion Thursday at the place they met, the Museum of Industry parking lot.

“I love your energy, so thank you so much for giving me that support,” said Gyenyame to Essig.

What they gave the world as inspiration, but they got something out of it too.

For Gyenyame, it was supporting.

“We can support each other, and everyone doesn’t have to stand alone and be by themselves. A lot of people have the mindset, even I do. That’s why I was skating alone, that you have to do it by yourself and that’s the only way, but you can reach out to other people, and it can be beneficial for the other person,” said Gyenyame.

For Essig, it was affirmation.

“I have a very big loud personality, and I struggle. Not everyone likes that. A lot of people think it’s too much or too loud or too in your face, but when a million people like it and 30,000 comments are like, ‘You’re amazing.’ ‘Your energy is 'awesome,' it’s very reaffirming like you know what no I’m actually pretty okay and I can be who I am,” said Essig.

The pair have vowed to stay connected and carry positivity into their everyday lives.

Essig wants to start sharing words of encouragement on her TikTok page @alyssiaessig_realtor, and Gyenyame hopes his newfound following on TikTok @skatevibes01 will help turn his passion into a business where he teaches kids how to skateboard.

Abby Isaacs at WMAR first reported this story.

CLEVELAND — The era of home buyers writing a letter to sellers in an effort to sway their decision appears to be over.

Oregon recently passed a new law effective in 2022 which bans buyers from sending letters to sellers as a way to influence their decision.

The law is the latest shift in an ever-changing real estate landscape, where buyers are offering to waive inspections, cover appraisal gaps and make an offer sight-unseen.

Seth Task, President of Ohio Realtors, explained that while buyers would like to compliment a seller on their fenced-in yard for children to grow or a spacious living room for Christmas morning, those comments could present problems.

He says he no longer accepts "love letters" from buyers and encourages other realtors to do the same to avoid any possible discrimination.

"If a decision is made based on the letter versus other letters, it's clearly a fair housing issue," Task said.

Callahan & Krol

Scripps station WEWS in Cleveland spoke with several realtors in Northeast Ohio, who all explained they're seeing about 25% of sellers' agents no longer accept love letters, compared to almost none about a year ago.

"We were recommending letters for a really long time," Task said. "You're trying to pull on heartstrings on the seller. You're trying to relate in some capacity. This heartfelt letter might put you over the top. Maybe a seller takes $2,000 less because they like your letter."

Fair housing regulations at the federal, state and local levels currently prohibit discrimination in housing because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, ancestry, national origin, disability, military status, sexual orientation and gender identity.

"It's incredibly difficult if not impossible to write a love letter and not mention at least one of those protected classes," Task said.

Tanesha Hunter serves as the director of education and outreach for the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research. She points to penalties such as fines in the tens of thousands of dollars for sellers who discriminate.

Agents could also lose their licenses because of fair housing violations, she said.

"We believe that over 30,000 incidents of housing discrimination occur in our region [every year] but go unreported," she said. "Instead of writing these love letters and talking about personal items, talk about your enthusiasm for the features of the property. You love the fireplace; you love the backyard; you love the kitchen."

WEWS reached out to Ohio's Department of Commerce and the Real Estate & Licensing Department about the matter. A spokesperson said while they have not dealt with any specific cases of these kinds of letters being deemed as discriminatory, it is something on their radar.

This story was originally published by Clay LePard on Scripps station WEWS in Cleveland.