The StoryCorps MobileBooth is at New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins, recording the stories of our Colorado community until May 19th - all this month, KUNC will bring you just some of the stories recorded at the booth.
Marcy and Anthony DiBenedetto met in the 7th grade - for Anthony, it was love at first sight.
For Marcy, it took a little longer.
After some years apart while Anthony was in California, he and Marcy reconnected over the phone. He decided it was time to come back to Fort Collins and win her over.
They came to StoryCorps to talk about their unconventional courtship, and the family they have built together with the help of The Matthews House, a Fort Collins non-profit that provides resources for at-risk youth.
Interview Highlights
Anthony DiBenedetto: I've been in love with you since we first met when I was the 7th grade. For me, I really felt like, "Wow, this is going to be a life-changer." I remember the first night, you brought me to church. Over the next month, I think I just wanted you to understand how much I loved you.
Marcy DiBenedetto: The more we hung out, the more I knew that you were my partner. You were my friend. I really understood that. You were what God sent to me. You were going to help me, because I definitely couldn't do it on my own.
Anthony: (It was) two weeks into me being back (and) we went to City Park that night. We were talking, and I remember you saying to me, "Don't fall in love with me", and I very quickly said, "Too late," and I asked you to marry me. You said yes. I put a rubber band ring on your finger, and then two weeks after that, on my day off, we got married. July 24, 2007.
Marcy: We got pregnant really fast. Having out daughter was a huge blessing. It was absolutely unbelievable to have the most beautiful little baby girl in our arms, knowing that our relationship is forever — not just mine and hers, but mine and yours. She brought so much joy. She's a perfect little girl.
We figured our daughter needed a friend.
Anthony: December 2012, our son was born. In the last few years, though, we've turned our family from a family of four to a family of six.
Marcy: The Matthews House opened its doors to us to work with youth. One day you came home and said you wanted a teen boy! So we got a teen boy, and gosh, we just love that kid - Campbell.
Anthony: There's a softness to you, Marcy. I think anybody that can experience it can change for the better. If there's anything that I have done in this life, it's to connect the two of you, so that he has you to lean on the rest of his life.
Marcy: He'll always be my mijo, he'll always have a huge place in my heart.
My sister decided to give us Emma, and so we have a one-year-old. We have a 20-year-old, a 9-year-old, a 5-year-old and a one-year-old. I'm so glad the we are able to do this, and we have the opportunity to just love and bless these kids, and be good parents. I feel like we kind of know what we're doing now, and we're doing okay.
Anthony: Marcy, thank you so much for sharing life with me.
Marcy: Thank you for having me! It's been great, Anthony. I love you.
Hear more from the StoryCorps MobileBooth on our website. If you didn't get a chance to record in the MobileBooth, download the StoryCorps app and tag your interview with the keyword #FoCoStories to add it to the Fort Collins collection in the StoryCorps archive.
StoryCorps is sponsored locally by Kaiser Permanente.
