CLOVERDALE, Ind. — Love comes when you least expect it, and that is the case for two Hoosiers who tied the knot, knowing they may only have a few years left to live. You can click on the video above to see the magic of their wedding.
Matt Weeks and Sara Smouther both suffer from Huntington’s disease. They met at Summerfield Healthcare Center in Cloverdale. It is the only all-Huntington’s facility in the country. Administrators at Summerfield describe Huntington’s as a combination of Parkinson’s, ALS, dementia, and schizophrenia. It is terminal with no cure.
“What we do is we encourage them to live every moment they have,” said Tasheena Duncan, administrator at Summerfield. “We service a population that is often forgotten. When people receive that diagnosis, a lot of times, they are cast aside. When you give someone love — that is the best medicine.”
The pair fell in love one day during activities, and later Matt proposed to Sara at the facility’s annual prom. The two got married a few weeks ago.
“He didn’t think he would ever get married after he was diagnosed with Huntington’s,” said Sara. “I’m thankful for someone with Huntington’s who understands me. He is just my world.”
“Sara told me the other day, I just love taking care of Matt,” smiled Sara’s mother Terri Catino. “I think it will be a sad day when one goes first, but they will always look at the memories and the love that they have.”
Their first dance was to Ed Sheeran’s song “Thinking Out Loud”, and their second dance was to “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer. Matt used to work in the music industry before his diagnosis. Not only does he have a gold record, but he worked on that song.