Newburyport Man Diagnosed With ALS Finds Strength In New Bride
NEWBURYPORT (CBS) – Jenny and Rob Daigle provide an extraordinary story of love, hope and faith, all in the face of adversity that is hard to comprehend.
The couple exchanged vows on Saturday, then took the Ice Bucket Challenge, and jumped into a swimming pool to top it off.
The plunge was personal for the North Shore couple. Rob has ALS which is slowly robbing him of muscle control.
"ALS is a death sentence. When he came and told us that, it hurt. And you had to figure out what was priority in life," Rob said. "I knew Jenny was my priority, but at the same time I told Jenny, you need to run, because I said, life is going to be very difficult."
Jenny's response was simple.
"Never, never," she told Rob.
Jenny stayed and last weekend they married despite the terrible hand they've been dealt.
"There's no surgery, there's no chemotherapy, there's no radiation, there's no medicine, there's nothing," said Jenny. "It's just a gradual decline of your body. Your body is basically saying goodbye, while your mind is fully intact until the very end."
Diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease in April, Rob is feeling the toll. His walk is becoming a stagger, he tires easily and he's lost the use of his left hand.
"My hand is a claw. It's turned into that. I still try to carry things, but my fingers don't work," he says.
That's why the couple is so committed to raising money for ALS research.
"This is what this whole Ice Bucket Challenge is all about. It can be focused, focused on ALS, totally," says Rob. "Once something goes away it's not coming back. Unless there's a cure, it's not coming back. It's gone forever."
"I have my moments, why me, why us? But then I also realize, you know what? We found each other just in time," says Jenny.
There's one thing in particular that helps Rob persevere.
"Love will get us through and we'll make it every day," adds Rob.
The couple has started a fundraising page to help them pay for all the equipment and help Rob will eventually need. To learn about how to donate, visit their Crowd Rise site.
For more information on the Ice Bucket Challenge, visit the ALS Association website.