Meet the Groom

Daniel Cohen

Daniel, Dan, Kochie, Cohen, DC and soon to be……….a happy husband

Childhood

The early days

My story begins in a cosy unit in Hornsby, growing up with Mum (Denise), Dad (Roney), and my brother (Joel).

From an early age, it was clear I had one great love… trains. Starting with Thomas the Tank Engine and quickly progressing to the real thing (Sydney Trains), I couldn’t get enough. When I wasn’t on a train or at home playing with my Thomas the Tank Engine playsets, I was usually pretending to be one — whether at the shops, the playground, or even the beach! If I was sprinting ahead, I was the express. Falling behind? Why I was the all-stops service of course!

Weekends followed a well-loved routine and, to me, there was nothing better. Saturdays were BIG. We would start the big family day with a morning with a visit to Meme (Vicky) in Pymble. This was followed by lunch at Nana (Nora) and Pop (Stanley) in Ryde, where the roast corned beef was always a highlight. The day often finished back in Hornsby with more food — usually pizza — surrounded by family, with Uncle Elliot and Aunty Jan often coming over. If Mum and Dad had a night out, Joel and I were left to play in the capable hands of older siblings (Simone and David) or cousins (Kathryn and Craig).

The good times would keep rolling on Sundays. Family days meant picnics at Bobbin Head in winter or beach trips to Umina in summer. I liked school, but I LOVED family time on the weekends.

  • Dad & I at Bobbin Head

  • Another picnic

  • Dad, Mum, David, Simone & Baby me

  • Where are my Thomas the Tank Engine toys?

  • Watermelon and mangoes please

  • Double trouble

The teenage years

Mount Colah, homework & hello new friend - Jessy!

When I was 8, we left our humble unit for a house in leafy Mount Colah — complete with incredible bushland views and, a big backyard for Joel to get creative with his love for plants. We got a cheeky Jack Russell (Jessy) who became household member no.5. I loved Jessy and walked her every day, rain, hail, or shine, while at other times, Joel and I were outside playing with our friends and enjoying the outdoors.

As the teenage years rolled in, I started at Asquith Boys High and quickly developed a strong interest in finance and economics. While my mates started enrolling into tech related subjects, I loaded up on as many commerce subjects as I could, and when even I hit the limit, I somehow managed to get special permission from the school to take on even more commerce classes. As if I couldn’t get enough, by Year 11, I enrolled into Accounting at TAFE after school….so yes, you can say it — a bit of a nerd. This is also where my most well-known nickname came from - Kochie.

Despite loving school, there was one small issue — it was an all-boys school, and my confidence talking to girls wasn’t exactly thriving. That changed thanks to a spontaneous decision one afternoon. With my mate Steen. We walked into our local KFC, saw they were hiring, and I applied on the spot. I turned up to the interview in full business attire (for a fast-food job lol!), which definitely got a few laughs from the teenage girls on shift. I got the job and it turned out to be one of the best things I could have done. The fast pace, the team work, and the constant interaction with my team and customers, pushed me out of my comfort zone, and my social confidence grew pretty quickly from there.

Throughout childhood, the best time of the year remained the summer holidays, which always included a family road trip holiday to either Callala Beach or Bawley Point on the NSW South Coast. Sometimes this would be just the 4 of us (and Jessy!), while other times featured Simone, David, the Freeman’s, and/or Elliot & Jan. Beach by day, family board games in the evening and watching the Australian Open at night with Dad - great times that were hard to beat.

  • My 18th

  • Family

  • Jessy!

  • High school nickname

Early Adulthood

My “nerdy” side didn’t slow down after high school. Within two weeks of completing the HSC, while most people were off at schoolies, I started full-time work as an Accountant Cadet in a Accounting firm based in Parramatta. At the same time, I began a Bachelor of Financial Advising at night. Office work by day, Uni degree at night made for long days. I was up at 6:00am, home around 10:30pm and come Friday night’s I stayed in touch with my mates by catching up at our local RSL club.

Around this period, my life changed in a way I wasn’t prepared for. At 19, I lost my best friend - my Dad. It didn’t stop everything, but I did slow things down. It became less about pushing forward to the future at full speed, and learning more about being present. I spent more time with Mum, Joel, family and friends.

As I moved forward, nothing was going to stop me on my journey towards a career as a Financial Adviser. I had a deep passion for helping everyday people with their finances.

That path led me to some pretty unique experiences — starting my own business, working on housing affordability initiatives, consulting government policymakers, and appearing in major media outlets. It was an exciting and very fast-paced time, but also a challenging one on various fronts, and eventually, I had to step back, reset, and refocus.

Like many, my Covid lockdown years were interesting and challenging. Once it was over, I was itching to grow more and it was time to leave my family home in Mount Colah. I moved to a big share house in Waverton by the harbour to be closer to the city that I loved and to meet new people. It was here, that I meant some great mates, including Theo, Carlos, Sayuri and more. And all this lead to Theo introducing me to an incredible lady, that would one day become my fiancé, Anastasija.

Uni days, running my own business, and that big share house.

Does money buy love and happiness? Watch the 10 News story to find my opinion.

  • My bro & I dressing up for Mum

  • High school & life mates

  • Uncle Elliot & I on grad day

  • My nephew Zac

  • My media day looks - 10 yrs ago

  • A regular visit to the blood bank

  • On stage during my own business days

  • Uni graduation

Life today

Today, Anastasija and I live in her dream suburb, Oatley… and I have to say, I love it just as much as she does. It’s a peaceful place to call home, and it’s here that I’ve fallen even more in love with Anastasija. Eventually, this led me to propose (she was very patient with me!).

Outside of home life, I continue working as a Financial Adviser, and spend as much time as I can with family and friends. We especially love visiting my Mum in Caves Beach, and Ana’s grandparents in Bowral and Mollymook — any excuse for a road trip weekend away! I don’t get to see my brother Joel as much these days, as he has relocated with his partner Chloe to Gladstone in Queensland, although I did get a chance to visit them last year and I had one of the best times in my life.

Another big win back in Oatley - I’m now close to the home ground of my footy team, the mighty Dragons. A personal highlight was last year, when my soon to be Mum-in-law, Jazzy, managed to get us into box seats — not once, but twice — right between the coach’s and commentator’s boxes!

While my life is wonderful, living with my best friend and soulmate Anastasija, being close to the Dragons, working in my dream career, spending time with the family when I can, there is a way to make life even better. Get married to my soulmate Anastasija and start a family of our own.🤍

In love, working hard & ready for a family of my own

  • The Freemans

  • My brothers

  • Family stroll

  • Ana & I with my Aunty Rachael

  • Mum's famous Christmas pav

  • Oatley home life with my darling

  • My mates

  • Kogarah Hill on game day

  • My siblings & nephew Zac

  • My mates from the big share house

  • Introducing Ana to a Bobbin Head picnic with the Freemans

  • Aunty Jan & Mum

  • Cousin Kathryn visited from Darwin to celebrate our engagement!

    Cousin Kathryn

  • Dragons box experience - thanks Jazzy!

  • My forever