Should all go as planned, at 3 p.m. today in the Wharton Creek Church outside of Huntsville, Brian Conner and Ashley Dawn Emery will pledge their mutual devotion before an intimate gathering of both families.
You might be thinking, so what, Mike? There's nothing unusual about a love story that leads to the altar. It happens every day across Arkansas across the nation.
Yet in this instance you'd be mistaken.
The story of Brian and Ashley is a valentine in itself, etched into a palpable bond growing ever stronger from the moment they met last summer outside Lolo's Restaurant in her hometown of Huntsville.
With Brian, 41, and Ashley, 35, the crippling cerebral palsy that has kept them bound to wheelchairs throughout their lives makes theirs especially unique.
It began with Brian's closest lifelong friend, Nathan Leonard, at a basketball game with Nathan's then-girlfriend, Brittany Lyman from Huntsville. Living in a small town, Brittany of course knew Ashley. And Brittany's mother knew Ashley's mother. Nathan naturally thought his friend and Ashley should connect through Facebook.
He realized she and Brian (who lives in a custom-built apartment alongside parents Frank and Millie Conner of Harrison and has worked 19 years for Fed Ex Freight in Harrison) likely would hit it off. Romance of any kind was new to Brian, who'd never dated or expected to. But Nathan realized Brian and Ashley would understand the severe physical challenges and personal triumphs in each other's lives.
Ashley sent Brian a friend request last May, which he accepted. Brian's mother escorted Brian to Lolo's three weeks later on June 13 where an equally anxious Ashley awaited. They visited on that sweltering day, then couldn't wait to see each other again.
The rest unfolded as they communicated over the Internet when they couldn't be together.
Cerebral palsy, commonly referred to as CP, is medically defined as any one of a number of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood. CP permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination; it isn't caused by problems in the muscles or nerves, but by abnormalities in parts of the brain that control muscle movements.
In Ashley and Brian's cases, they have been able to function relatively well over their lives. Both were friendly, popular and outgoing at their respective public high schools. Brian graduated from Harrison in 1993 and Ashley from Huntsville in 1999. While Ashley's speech is more developed, Brian has enjoyed driving specially equipped vehicles, lawn mowers and boats since he turned 16 and could earn his driver's license.
"Any steering wheel has been Brian's lifelong fascination and passion," said his father. "He could always dock our party barge much better than anyone. We even came to call it Brian's barge."
Today, Brian also regularly visits his condominium on The Landing in Branson. He travels back and forth in his van that was reconfigured to accommodate the wheelchair. The gas pedal was transferred to the left side floorboard so he could drive. When not behind a wheel or working, he spends lots of time listening to music and in movie theaters. After watching films, Brian takes to the Internet where he's gained considerable following on his Facebook page as a discerning movie reviewer. Why not friend him yourself? He'd like that and you can see their picture.
Consequently, over the decades Brian and his wheelchair have become a familiar sight to many in theaters and restaurants from Harrison to Branson.
Ashley was raised on a dairy farm in Madison County where she grew to love everything about being outdoors. She's also among the most rabid of Razorback fans, decorating her room and wardrobe with all things Hog. Game days in the Emery household with Ashley's exuberance can be an experience.
Slowly, methodically, she's been teaching Brian to see the beauty of being outdoors and sharing her addiction to the Razorbacks. He's been warming to both.
The Internet has proven a Godsend that allows them to remain connected, especially since CP has robbed Brian of his ability to speak clearly. Antoine de Saint-Exupery in his classic, The Little Prince, says it's only with the heart that one can see rightly. In them, I see two chairs but one heart conjoined through affection and respect.
Brian and Ashley have come not only to see each other rightly over the past nine months, but to realize what a Godsend it's been for them to meet and develop such a close bond. He asked Ashley to marry him during his birthday dinner on Nov. 21 with both families in DeVito's Restaurant at Harrison. They haven't stopped smiling since that evening.
"Our son's always pleasant. He loves people and has such a good heart," Frank said.
To plop a cherry atop this story, Nathan and Brittany, the friends who made sure Ashley and Brian met, married Oct. 17.
After today, Mr. and Mrs. Conner will spend his workweek in Brian's apartment. Afterwards, they'll head to Branson for weekends in their Branson condo to watch movies, cheer the Hogs and share their lives.
------------v------------
Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at [email protected].
Editorial on 02/13/2016