Mary & Albert: I Am Married
“He couldn’t keep his eyes off of me,” Mary says a smile.
Albert remembers it a little differently.
“I walked up to her and asked, ‘Can I be your man?’”
What began as a friendship in the mid 1990s grew into a lifelong partnership. The couple started dating in 1998, became engaged on Christmas Eve in 2016, and married in October 2019.
Today, they enjoy many of the same things as any other married couple. They cheer for the Cardinals and Blues, attend church and Bible study, practice archery, travel, and spend quiet evenings watching television together.
When asked her favorite part of the day, Mary doesn’t hesitate.
“Spending time with my husband.”
Albert smiles and replies, “I love my honey every day.”
For more than 25 years, Sunnyhill’s Independent Supported Living Assistance (ISLA) program has helped Mary and Albert build the skills and confidence to live independently and pursue the life they have chosen together. Through individualized support, they receive assistance with budgeting, appointments, paperwork, community engagement, and other everyday responsibilities that help them reach their personal goals.
“I don’t have to depend on my family as much now because I have help,” Mary says.
The support extends beyond daily living skills. Through Sunnyhill, Mary and Albert have traveled to Memphis and Chicago, attended sporting events, visited the zoo, and built lasting friendships while staying active in their community.
Like many couples, they enjoy trying new things and encouraging each other along the way. Albert was hesitant to take up archery at first, but Mary convinced him to give it a try.
“I enjoy doing things with Mary,” he says.
Mary and Albert’s story is a reminder that people diagnosed with developmental disabilities have the same hopes and dreams as anyone else: to build meaningful relationships, create a home, explore new experiences, and share life’s everyday moments with someone they love.
With the right support, they continue to grow in independence while building a life filled with friendship, adventure, faith, and love.
They are husband and wife.
They are living The Sunlit Way, lighting the path toward empowered living every day.