1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: Hello, friends, Welcome to Story Behind podcast. This is the 2 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: show for people who love hearing a good story and 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: who believe the world could use more positivity. We're the 4 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: team behind God Updates and God Too, and we hope 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: these weekly short stories will brighten your day. 6 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 2: After more than forty years as neighbors, a senior couple 7 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 2: says yes to forever. Written by MICHAELA. Gordoni, read by 8 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 2: Julie Provos. This is the sweetest little story. After spending 9 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 2: over forty years as next door neighbors, a senior couple 10 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 2: goods engaged. Now they've got a hard decision to make. 11 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 2: Whose house are they going to continue to live in. 12 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 2: Art and Maryland have lived close to each other for 13 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 2: forty years, but grew close only in the last few 14 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 2: They each lost his spouse after being caregivers for them, 15 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 2: and unexpectedly found love again after they spent more time together. 16 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 2: On December seventeenth, Art asked Marilyn to marry him inside 17 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 2: of private igloo at Gatton Park Winter Village in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. 18 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 2: It's been just miraculous to get to know you and 19 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 2: what a chure for person you are. Art told Marilyn 20 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 2: in front of a view of a giant lit up 21 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 2: Christmas tree in the park. You're charitable and kind quickly, 22 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 2: and just a lot of fun to be with. So 23 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:19,119 Speaker 2: asking you if he would marry me, Marilyn told him Art, 24 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 2: I would love to marry you with all my heart 25 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 2: and love and soul. I can think of nothing else 26 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 2: I would love to do than marry you forever, forever. 27 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 2: It would be great that we get to love and 28 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 2: hold each other into our golden years, he told her 29 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 2: as he handed her the ring. Well that's long enough, though, 30 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 2: isn't that okay? Marilyn responded. When she opened the ring 31 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 2: box and saw a large diamond, she gasped in surprise. 32 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 2: Oh my goodness, Art, Oh my heavens. She then leaned 33 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 2: in and the two lovebirds sealed their commitment with the 34 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 2: romantic kisss. The clip of their proposal went viral with 35 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 2: over one million views. Since then, they've kept out of 36 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 2: the spotlight, so we don't know their wedding date, but 37 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 2: Marilyn's family says the pair are enjoying attending church social 38 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 2: events and spending time with friends and family. It sees 39 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 2: kind of stories that warm hearts and make you feel 40 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 2: good inside. I hope this brought a smile to your face. 41 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 3: Today. 42 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 2: Special education teacher plans first overnight trip for special needs students, 43 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 2: and it's a blessing. Written by Heather Wrigglemann read by 44 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:27,239 Speaker 2: Jully Provost, a special education teacher plans a first overnight 45 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: trip for special needs students, and it's a blessing. Buckle 46 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 2: up and grab a tissue. You're definitely going to need it. 47 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 2: I didn't expect a video on my screen to undo 48 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 2: me like this. I read this story and had to 49 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 2: stop for a moment. They kind of stop, where your 50 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 2: chest titans and your eyes sting, and you whisper this, 51 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 2: this is what love looks like. In Commerce, Georgia, a 52 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 2: special education teacher named Wes Messi saw that so many 53 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 2: others had grown he used to overlooking. He saw students 54 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 2: who didn't wear jerseys or cheery uniforms, kids who watched 55 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 2: spirit days and school milestones pass by the sidelines, kids 56 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 2: whose school experience often looked quieter, smaller, more limited, not 57 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 2: because they lacked joy, but because opportunity hadn't always made 58 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 2: room for them. A lot of our kids don't get 59 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 2: to participate, Wes said, and instead of Accepting that as 60 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 2: a reality, he decided to change it. But began as 61 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 2: a simple idea, it became a movement, a whole community 62 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 2: rising up to give thirty one students in the district's 63 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,399 Speaker 2: special education program and their families something many have never 64 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 2: experienced before the first overnight trip. Through donations, volunteers, and 65 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 2: countless behind the scenes, yess Wes organized a weekend getaway 66 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 2: to Great Wolf Lodge. Families paid nothing, transportation was covered, 67 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 2: meals were planned, medical needs were thoroughly supported, oxygen tanks, 68 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 2: feeding tubes, extra vehicles and two charter buses ready and waiting, 69 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 2: and even a grand send off from law enforcement. When 70 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 2: the families arrived, the generosity didn't stop. Each student received 71 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 2: gift cards to choose their own meals not just be 72 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 2: provided for, but empowered. They built bears, played putt put 73 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 2: went on adventures together. For some families, it was the 74 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 2: first time they'd done something like this together. I want 75 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:00,839 Speaker 2: these kids to enjoy what other kids, and joy Wes said, 76 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 2: and they did. Teachers rearrange schedules, volunteers gave their time, 77 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 2: local businesses gave resources, school leaders showed up. The county 78 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 2: sheriff even escorted the buses across the county line, an 79 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 2: unspoken way of saying, these kids matter to all of us. 80 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 2: The principal said it best, This wasn't about one trip. 81 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,679 Speaker 2: It was about belonging, about giving each child a purpose 82 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,359 Speaker 2: and a reason to come to school. And watching this unfold, 83 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 2: you can almost hear God whispering what he's always been 84 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 2: saying to these families. You were included, You are important, 85 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 2: You belong. I praise you because I am fearfully and 86 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 2: wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. I know that full well, 87 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 2: Psalm one hundred and thirty nine and fourteen. 88 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening to Story Behind podcast. 89 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:49,359 Speaker 1: We're really glad you joined us for this week's story. 90 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: To see photos and videos that may have been referenced 91 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 1: in this episode, check out the links and the show notes, 92 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: and if you enjoyed what you heard today, subscribe to 93 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: our podcast and please tell a friend about us. We'd 94 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: also love it if you'd rate us and leave us 95 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 1: a review. It really does help more people find us. 96 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: Story Behind is a Salem Web Network production.