Scott and Nancy Bright considers every day Valentine's Day. When they said their vows, they meant them. What they didn't know is how soon they would be tested with the vow, "in sickness and in health."
Just three years into their marriage, doctors diagnosed Scott with the worst form of Multiple Sclerosis. Reflecting on that day, Nancy Bright said it was like someone punched you in the stomach. "You're out of breath," Nancy explained. "You wonder what is this going to mean for our family."
What it meant was an end to both Scott and Nancy's promising careers. They both held management positions with the Roses Department Store chain and they both decided not to have children.
Scott was only able to work for four more years after the diagnosis then had to rely on disability. His condition progressed faster than doctors expected and in a matter of years, Scott was completely bedridden.
After almost 26-years of marriage, still nestled in the peaceful rural Person County home they've shared since they were newlyweds you might be surprised at what you would learn about them. It's not that Scott no longer leaves his bed or that he cannot move from the neck down, or is losing his eyesight. You may not even be surprised that Nancy feeds him, reads to him and sleeps every night in a chair by his bed. Instead of bitterness their home is filled with life.
Nancy says they love to laugh and sing. She remembers Scott used to love to sing the "banana-fanna" song.
Scott smiles and starts to sing as everyone in the room starts to laugh and smile. Not only do they laugh and sing, they will also tell you that they are still in love. Scott, whose speech is better on some days than other says, "I still am. Still in love with Nancy."
Given the chance, even knowing what they both know now Nancy explains they would both do it all over again. "I know that Scott's the one I need to be with. I needed him and he needs me, and whether life is a little bit different it's not traditional. Not normal in a lot of ways, but we've been blessed to know what's truly important in life - things other people don't figure out until it's too late," Nancy said.
Nancy believes the most important thing in life is to be loved and to give love - in sickness and in health.
