Widow with Down syndrome shows the power of love after husband's death

CBS NEWS ^ | AUG 16, 2019 | Steve Hartman

[Morgana]

Deep in New York's Adirondack Mountains, family and friends gathered to help 59-year-old Kris Scharoun-DeForge pay tribute to her remarkable husband. "He got me laughing and everything. He was the one for me," Kris said.

Kris and Paul met in 1988 and after dating for five years, they became one of the first couples in the world with Down syndrome to get married.

"I proposed to him," Kris said. "I whispered in his ear, 'Would you marry me?' And he looked up at me with this big beautiful smile and he shook his head 'Yes!' And that's when I knew."

But Kris' sister, Susan Scharoun, said it took a lot more than "yes" to get them to "I do." There were marriage classes, counseling sessions, and a whole lot of pushback from the supposedly able-minded people.

"Yea, there really was quite a bit of resistance. There was a feeling that it was like children getting married versus two very capable adults," Susan said.

Today, people with Down syndrome who want to get married still face resistance. There's still some question as to whether couples like Kris and Paul love as deeply as the rest of us. And, in fact, we saw evidence that maybe they don't — maybe their love is deeper.

[Morgana]

Remember when they first got married it was in the news.

RIP Paul DeForge

[Jayster]

Thanks for sharing. Very moving

[Ouchthatonehurt]

God bless them.

[YogicCowboy]

Thank you.