Britain’s first married couple with Down Syndrome is facing forced separation after spending together more than 24 happy years.
48-year-old Maryanne Pilling and 61-year-old Tommy Pilling have tied the knot in a sweet ceremony back in the July of 1995.
Despite staying strong together for two decades, however, they are now on the verge of separation as Tommy’s dementia has developed to the point that “he’s forgotten who Maryanne is a handful of times,” leaving her frustrated and “hysterical.”
Speaking of her sister Maryanne to Daily Express, 31-year-old Lindi Newman said:
“He’s forgotten who Maryanne is a handful of times. It always happens really late at night. He pushes her away and says, ‘I don’t know who you are’ and ‘I don’t love you.’ Maryanne takes that to heart and is absolutely crushed and hysterical.”
As Lindi added, she attempted to comfort her sister and reassure her that they would be able to stay together. Maryanne, however, is worried that she won’t be able to join her husband in a care home due to a different nature of his condition and different needs.
Recalling the time Maryanne met Tommy, Lindi added:
“The day Maryanne met Tommy she came home with the biggest smile on her face. She couldn’t stop talking about him and asked if he could come for dinner.
“She received a lot of flak at the time for letting them get married but she insisted it was their decision.”
Despite the stares and negative comments the couple had to face throughout the years, they kept on going on and broke the record by staying married for 24 years. Hopefully, they can now find a way to stay together for the rest of their days.
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Replaced!