After more than a decade of lyrical pleading, singer Mariah Carey received the gift she really wanted: local resident Daniel Staker.
Maria first publicly asked for possession of Staker in 1994 with her hit holiday single "All I Want for Christmas is You."
"When [producers] first came to me about making a Christmas album, I wasn't really sure," said the now 39 year old Carey. "It was one of those times where you have to take time out and ask yourself what you really want." For the five-time Grammy winner, the answer was surprising. "It was like the only thing I really didn't have in my life was a skinny, fourteen year old Mormon boy. Once I realized that, [the song] came together, and the rest of the album just kind of sprung up around it."
Despite Carey's considerable means and desire, negotiations were slowed because Staker was a minor. "The parties came to terms on a basic agreement," a former attorney for Carey said, "but legally there was an impasse. There simply aren't too many options for women approaching 30 who are looking to buy 14 year old boys in this country."
Negotiations resumed when Staker turned 18, only to be put on hold for a two-year Mormon proselyting mission. "When he said he was going I was disappointed,"admitted Carey. "We were so close to an agreement. But it was all part of a journey of learning for me. I found out if you're going to try and buy a skinny Mormon boy, waiting for him to serve a Mormon mission is a part of it."
While serving for his church, Staker did not have regular telephone or email access, and all contact was lost with Carey and her agents.
In 2001 Staker came back to Utah, and in 2002 he started the seven year process of becoming a lawyer. "It was a busy time," said Staker. "There were days when I thought about Mariah, but I was mostly focused on my classes, hanging out with friends, [and] stuff like that."
It seemed Carey's wish would never be fulfilled, and she had all but given up, when Staker recently heard her song on the radio. "I had just graduated in December [of 2009]," Staker commented, "when I heard her song come on the radio. It brought a lot of memories back, and finally everything just felt right. So I called Mariah up..."
"I couldn't believe it," Carey remarked. "It was a dream come true, like a kind of Christmas miracle."
After a few weeks of working out all the details, deed for possession was finally presented to Carey. Her long wait was over.
Terms of the sale were not disclosed.
