Meet Jesse and Kelly Cottle. They have been married since August of 2012, having met at a swim meet where Jesse was first trying out his prosthetic legs. In 2009, when he was serving in Afghanistan as a US Marine, he stepped on an IED and tragically lost both of his legs. But as challenging and difficult as his recovery has been, he wouldn’t change a thing that happened. As he told ABC News, “If I hadn’t stepped on that IED I wouldn’t have met her. I wouldn’t take it back ever.” And while his injury is easy to recognize and may even be the first thing someone notices about Jesse, Kelly has a very different perspective: “His personality and who he is just outweighs his injuries by so much that you forget about it after a while.” When this picture of Kelly carrying Jesse was posted on social media, it went viral. And for obvious reasons. It shows their love, dedication, connection and support. And while Jesse may be on Kelly’s back, he very much carries her in his own way as well. The Hebrew word, “to carry” is “la-set” which very powerfully means both to carry in the literal sense, as in Kelly is carrying Jesse, and it simultaneously means to take responsibility. Biblically, the same root refers to “lifting up.” When I see this picture, I see all forms of carrying embodied. Jesse and Kelly carry one another through life, and rather than feeling sorry for themselves, do what needs to be done. And in just being who they are, they lift up all those around them.
Images: Shutter Happy Photography
