WEB EXCLUSIVE: Travelling hope

Stephanie J. Smith

Mary-Lou Beers has been taking care of her husband Jim for 34 years. Since his stroke at age 29, he hasn’t been able to walk or talk, and the only way for him to communicate is through a voice system on his laptop computer. Unlike other couples , the B

Credit: Jason Hall

Mary-Lou Beers has been taking care of her husband Jim for 34 years. Since his stroke at age 29, he hasn’t been able to walk or talk, and the only way for him to communicate to family and friends is through a voice system on his laptop computer. Unlike other couples that deal with a handicap, the Beers travel to schools and churches to tell their story.

“We’re a couple of Beers after lunch,” they’ll tell their more mature audiences.

They make their audience laugh and cry with stories of what they have been through and jokes to go along. Jim always tells his audience that he’s a “sit-down comedian” since he has hundreds of jokes programmed into his computer that he can bring up in just a touch.

The Beers don’t charge for their services because they don’t want to leave out certain groups that don’t have a lot of money.

“We made an agreement with God, and sometimes we get a check, a sweatshirt or just a hug.”

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