14 Febraury 14 • 2019
jn

dressed as a doctor and, at first, Carrie 
thought he was a real physician. “I said 
some silly stuff,
” Steve said. “That’
s 
how I got her.
”
Carrie and Steve, both 50, dated 
for a few years before they decided to 
marry in 2012. 
They didn’
t take out a license or 
register their status with the state, 
explained Steve’
s JARC care worker, 
Bernie Tague, because that could 
have complicated the benefits they 
receive for their care. But, in all other 
respects, their Sept. 8 “life commit-
ment” ceremony at the Grosse Pointe 
Community House was a real wed-
ding: Carrie wore an embroidered 
satin wedding gown and carried a 
bouquet of roses. Steve wore a tux and 
gave his bride a ring. Carrie’
s cousin, 
Bryan D. Gill Sr., officiated, and eight 
witnesses signed the large document 
formalizing their commitment to be 
“partners in life.
” 
More than 100 guests attended the 
lakeside ceremony and the party that 
followed.
Steve is proud he helps support the 
couple by working as a bagger at the 
Kroger in West Bloomfield, a job he’
s 
held for 28 years. “I bring home the 
money,
” he said.
They live in the Hunter’
s Ridge 
apartments near 14 Mile and Orchard 

Lake, where they’
re part of the com-
munity. They walk the dog for one of 
their neighbors and cat-sit for another. 
Another neighbor drives Steve home 
from work on Fridays.
While Steve is working, Carrie takes 
care of the household chores — shop-
ping, cleaning, laundry — with help 
from her JARC staffer Stephanie Lee.
About once a month, they return 
to the Troy community center for 
a dance. They like to eat out and to 
socialize with other JARC clients and 
staff.
They also enjoy traveling. They’
ve 
been to family gatherings in Seattle 
and Georgia and, at the end of 
January, they spent four nights with 
other clients and staff at a timeshare 
JARC owns in Kissimmee, Fla.
Only a small number of JARC cli-
ents are married, although many have 
romantic relationships.
Carrie and Steve “are a totally 
married couple,
” said Tague, who has 
been with JARC for 30 years. “When 
you see Steve and Carrie together you 
know that they are just meant to be 
together.
”
“We’
re a good team. We take care of 
each other,
” Steve said. “We love each 
other very much, and we have a great 
life. We hope to be together forever.
”
“Yeah, we will,
” Carrie chimed in. ■

jews d
in 
the
Valentine’
s Day

“We’
re a good team. We take care of each 
other. We love each other very much,
and we have a great life.
We hope to be together forever.”

— STEVE LUD 
WIG

continued from page 12

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