When Shaylee Beck and Stephen Moore met in Tuscaloosa in 2011, they had no clue as to the rich and meaningful life that would envelop them both. A fourth-generation Lake Martin lover, Moore was in grad school at the University of Alabama, working on a neuroscience Ph.D., and Beck, a Michigan native, was pursuing a double major in telecommunications/film and theatre.

Shortly after the pair started dating two years later, Moore was diagnosed with dermatomyositis, a rare neuromuscular disease that breaks down the body’s muscles and causes painful rashes. A laboratory neuroscientist, Moore researched his disease, sharing his discoveries with Beck, who had launched herself into an event planning career. She worked with nonprofit organizations, like the Muscular Dystrophy Association, planning and pulling off major fundraising and awareness events.