Tennessee Man Reveals Surprise He Got When He Asked His Wife To Hire A ‘Hot’ Nanny: ‘She Understood The Assignment’

Finding good child care is hard, but for one couple in Tennessee is what about thinking outside of the box. When Vencent Hickerson, also known online as Bigg Vinny, joked with his wife that he wanted her to hire a “hot nanny,” she took his words to heart and did just that. However, in a twist that no one saw coming, she did things her own way.

Hickerson recently took to his Instagram account to share the story, revealing that after asking his wife for a hot nanny, she gave him exactly that. However, it just so happened that the hot nanny was an attractive and toned man named AJ Gatio. 

In several photos, AJ is seen with the Tennessee family posing for photos. He’s also spotted shirtless while working out. “So I told my wife I wanted a hot nanny for the kids. This is how that worked out,” Vinny captioned the photo montage.

Tennessee Couple’s Definition Of ‘Hot Nanny’ Differs

According to Hickerson, who spoke with PEOPLE, the whole thing began during the height of COVID. The family was juggling a lot in Franklin, Tennessee, a small gym to run, a pregnant wife dealing with sickness, and a 2½-year-old who needed nonstop attention. Their search for reliable childcare wasn’t going great. “We had a couple of female nannies. They either ghosted us or had other opportunities come up,” he explained.

So Hickerson jokingly tossed out an idea to his friend, musician and former first-grade teacher AJ Gatio. “‘Hey, you should come be the nanny. At least I can count on yo,u and my wife would get to have a hot nanny!’” he recalled saying.

Turns out, Gatio was totally game. With most of his gigs canceled during the pandemic, stepping in as a manny just made sense. And he didn’t phone it in, he came five days a week, played superheroes outside, helped with dinner, and made sure their son Jagger felt included even during the difficult pregnancy months.

Hickerson is fully aware that Gatio attracts attention. “I can’t tell you how many times other moms or my wife’s friends would be like, ‘Umm, who’s that and is he single?’” he joked. But he insists there was never insecurity. He trusts his wife “1000%,” and calls Gatio an “awesome human being” who’d “take a bullet” for their family.

The Internet Is Loving This

These days, Gatio still helps out when he can, even recently stepping in last-minute when the family’s childcare plans fell through while Hickerson performed and his wife spoke at a conference.

“She understood the assignment,” one person commented. “Great story! The manny sounds like a wonderful friend,” said another. “Good for him to be that secure! Good for the kids to have another positive male influence especially because they a son and good for her to have someone strong enough to protect them when the husband is not around,” a third person wrote.

So yes, this Tennessee dad did technically get the “hot nanny” he teased his wife about… just not quite in the way he imagined.