Connect How did your love story begin?

James and I met at church in 2002. I was 19, and he was 23. I stayed up late one night searching for his email address on our church’s message board and I reached out. By morning, he called, and we never stopped talking. A month into dating I told James that I have Cystic Fibrosis. I told him that due to health risks, I couldn’t give him a family or live a long life due to life expectancy in the late 30s. He looked in my eyes, and said he was willing to take the chance even if our time was short

What is your favorite memory you've shared as a couple?

My favorite is when shortly after my double lung transplant, I went into kidney failure. James decided to do donor testing, and he was the perfect match to donate his kidney to me. The morning of our surgery, I told him he did not have to move forward with the surgery. He replied that he was not going back because he loved me. After surgery, despite the amount of pain he was in, James walked halfway through the hospital to see me for 5 minutes. He is a true testament of what selfless means.

What would you do with $20,000?

The money would be used to expand services and our annual toy drive for our nonprofit Make Em Smile which benefits pediatric patients at the hospital I received care at. We could not take a honeymoon due to my health at the time, so I would take James on a trip. He has spent the last 23 years taking care of me in every way possible. Now I want to give back to someone who goes above and beyond for others. Despite what he is going through he never complains and is always extending a lending hand.