Childhood friendship grows into love despite disorders

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Childhood friendship grows despite disordersinto love

http://www.billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_d918ed6c-\

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bends down to kiss her new husband, , who she met at a

camp for children with muscular dystrophy several years ago. The couple were

married by the Rev. C. in Laurel on Saturday.

In most senses, and are like any other newlyweds.

They laugh easily and are excited to settle into their own home.

In other ways, they're like folks who have been married decades and who finish

each other's stories and have their little spats.

Their wedding on Saturday was symbolic of 's complete trust in and her

total commitment to him. Both have muscular dystrophy. However, 's

variation is a slowly progressing type and she shows few or no symptoms, while

's has progressed to leaving him a quadriplegic.

" About all I can do is talk, " he said.

Her role as caregiver

For the last few years, has cared for , doing everything he needs,

from gently scratching his chin to transferring him each time he needs to move.

She even pulled out a tissue to wipe his tears during their wedding in front of

about 200 friends and family at Laurel United Methodist Church.

acknowledges that caring for him is hard work. " has got such a big

heart, " he said.

doesn't mind, she said, as long as she gets to be with her husband.

recalls being in love at first sight when they met at a Muscular Dystrophy

Association camp eight years ago, when was 12 and was 17. Shy and not

ready to talk to , made friends with his camp counselor, Bob Weinch,

and started doing activities with - and secretly taking photos of him.

lived in Wolf Point ,and 's family lives in Broadview. During the next

few years, and would hang out together for a week at MDA camp and

again for a few days during the annual MDA telethon.

By the time she was 15 and he was 20, they decided to try being a long-distance

couple. It did not work out well. She was a freshman in high school and both say

not sure what she wanted.

" I broke his heart, " said.

ended up moving with family to North Dakota, which deepened the gulf

between them. Then, in 2006, decided to come to the telethon. He asked

Weinch if he should call . Yes, Weinch said.

wasn't home to take the call but she was thrilled to receive his message.

Couple reunited

" I started crying, I was so happy, " she said.

Within a month, fell ill and was hospitalized. His form of MD, called

Duchenne, causes an absence of the protein that keeps muscles together. He was

diagnosed at age 3, started using a wheelchair at age 7 and has lost all

muscular control below his neck. His lungs are weak, and pneumonia can be

deadly.

and her mom, a , went to visit just after he was released

from the hospital. The day they were to leave, a tire blew on the family car and

they stayed. That next day, Oct. 22, 2006, and officially started

dating. The spoke daily until came to 's graduation in May 2007.

thought of going to college after high school, but it was more important

to be with , who has already outlived his life expectancy of 21.

" I'd rather spend my time with , " said.

She made the decision to move to South Dakota, where had moved with his

family.

" I never thought I'd find anyone, " said. " It's a lot of work to take care

of me. She does everything for me. Everything. "

has feeling throughout his body, something proved when she leaned

over to lovingly pinch his thigh. When he and met, could still guide

his own powered wheelchair and use his hands. Those abilities are gone, but his

attitude remains upbeat.

" It's life; it's all I've known, " said. " I wouldn't change a thing. It's

the way it's supposed to be. "

couldn't kneel and make a big deal out of his marriage proposal. He

proposed while they were sitting on the couch together, and 's eyes still

sparkle when he tells the story. They both laugh at how it took more than a week

for him to get up the courage to ask her dad's permission on a trip to Montana.

has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder, which affects the signals between the

brain and spinal cord and the rest of the body. She has a high arch, and said

wearing high heels is pretty detrimental - especially if she is carrying .

Luckily, she didn't have that problem on their wedding night when at the

reception she lifted him out of his wheelchair for the beginning of their first

dance as a married couple.

" There weren't many dry eyes, " her dad, Todd , said.

They danced in each other's arms for a few moments then switched to dancing with

in his wheelchair. She even released the seat and " dipped " him.

" They did it up right, " Todd said.

For now, the couple is living with 's parents in Broadview. They have

converted two rooms to their own - creating a bedroom and a living area - and

settled in until an appropriate and affordable place is available in Billings.

In the meantime, all in the family, including 's sisters, tease each other,

and they are all entertained by 's therapy dog, Duke.

Both and 's families are thrilled with their friendship that bloomed

into love.

" It's the icing on the cake now, " Todd said. " They're hopefully going to have a

long life together. "