Tommy Pilling and Maryanne Pilling were both identified as having Down syndrome. They became the first married pair with Down syndrome in

Britain after overcoming all obstacles to live a long and happy life together. They also lived longer than any other member of their family.

But the couple’s life did not always go as planned; in later years, they had a devastating accident that irrevocably altered their circumstances.

Tommy asked her for her hand in marriage after they had been dating for about a year, according to an article written and published by the Daily Express in February of 2017.

Maryanne had the biggest smile she had ever seen on her face when she came home the day she met Tommy.

‘She couldn’t stop talking about him and asked if he could come for dinner,’ Maryanne’s sister Lindi said. It’s Lindi, Maryanne.

Tommy gave Maryanne’s mother Linda a toy ring he had bought from a vending machine when he first went up to her.

Although the woman’s mother was happy to hear that he planned to start a new chapter in his life with the lady,

the rest of the family insisted on getting a quality ring, so she accompanied him to a jewelry store.

Finally, but just as importantly, the couple got married in July 1995 at St. Mary’s Church in Shoeburyness, Essex.

Since she was a young child, Maryanne had dreamed of having a big, white wedding, and now was the day she had been waiting for her entire life. At last, the day had come.

‘My wedding day stands out as the most memorable day of my life.’I was really caught off guard by Tommy’s proposal, but I didn’t have to think twice before saying yes,’ Maryanne remarked.

The pair was frequently spotted holding hands while out and about after the event, but that didn’t mean

that people wouldn’t notice them because some people had negative opinions about their relationship.

According to Lindi, ‘some people stare and assume that people with learning disabilities and Down syndrome can’t get married.’ ‘That’s a false impression.’

Maryanne went on to express how much she loved her husband by noting, ‘Tommy and I never get into fights.’ I adore my husband with all of my heart. Among my closest buddies is him.

For the course of their marriage, the couple lived independently in their own home with the assistance of their next-door family, defying all expectations.

Tommy and Maryanne shared their intimate relationship information on Facebook, which allowed hundreds of people from all around the world to view their page.

Sadly, Tommy’s dementia forced the couple to dissolve their marriage, according to a 2019 Metro article.

Due to his dementia, Tommy lost his memory of his wife. This resulted in a late-night dispute in which he shoved her aside and declared his disdain for her.

This caused Maryanne to feel ‘absolutely crushed and hysterical,’ she said.

Tommy was among those who perished in the COVID-19 pandemic the year after it first started to spread globally. Maryanne experiences a deep loss that breaks her heart.

In an article published on their Facebook page in December 2020, it was stated that the widow tried her hardest to move on from the terrible event.

She’s totally lost her mind. Despite her best efforts to maintain a brave façade, she can’t resist breaking down in tears at the most inappropriate times.

Her sister stated, ‘She is upset and things are not getting any better, but at least she is staying with our mother,

so she is occupied and distracted, but it is still not helping.’ ‘She is busy and distracted because she is staying with our mother, but it is still not helping.’