Nowadays, it seems much more challenging to attain happily ever after, and we witness divorces of people around us all the time.
As people think that people with Down’s Syndrome can’t take care of themselves, there’s a stigma that a marriage between two people with special needs will be extremely difficult.
Nevertheless, the marriage of Maryanne and Tommy Pilling was the first one in the United Kingdom, and although it was greeted with skepticism and even criticism, they proved everybody wrong.
The couple fell in love and got married in an Essex church 24 years ago. Now, they celebrated their 24th year as husband and wife proving the test of time and received love from millions of people on their social media accounts.
They met at a day center back in 1991 and dated for 18 months before Tommy decided to pop the question. To celebrate their anniversary, the pair re-enacted their first dance from Dirty Dancing to recall the best day of their lives.
Maryanne’s sister Lindi Newman recalls that she dreamed of a big white wedding since she was very young, so she eventually had it.
After the wedding, they live in their own home, yet Lindi and her family live next door so they can be there in case the couple needs assistance.
Maryanne said she was shocked when Tommy proposed to her. She added that they never argue, as they are best friends. They're both grateful to all those who supported their decision, particularly Maryanne’s mother.
When Tommy wanted to propose, he did not have enough money to buy the ring, so he decided to propose with a plastic ring from the vending machine.
When Maryanne’s mother, Linda Martin, found out about this plan, she helped him choose and buy a ring for her daughter. Twenty-four years ago, when he proposed, his loved one “jumped with joy.”
Ms. Newman added that two couple offers a positive statement, and when they walk down the street, they hold hands. She said they receive lots of lovely messages from people inspired by the story. She manages a Facebook page dedicated to the couple, and it chronicles their life full of lovely photographs that show the way they spend their time together.
Their Facebook page has thousands of followers. It’s been recently inundated with messages, as people congratulate the couple, and wish them even more happiness, love, and understanding in the future.
People think they’re blessed to have found one another and hope that they have any more years together.
Lindi thinks that Maryanne and Tommy can provide hope to people worried about their kids or grandkids with Down’s Syndrome, as they can fall in love and live happily ever after too.
She added that after all these years together, the couple still has the same advice — to be honest to each other, and to spend time together as much as possible.
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