Childhood Sweethearts With Down Syndrome To Finally Tie The Knot 30 Years After They Met

Childhood Sweethearts With Down Syndrome To Finally Tie The Knot
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Austin Wayne Underwood and Jessica Smith, from Fort Worth, Texas, are both in their mid-30s and both have Down syndrome -- in fact, that's what brought them together in the first place.

Underwood's mom, Jan, has spent much of her life advocating for fair treatment to children with Down syndrome. She became a resource for other moms who have kids with Down syndrome to turn to for advice, Fort Worth Texas Magazine reported.

When Underwood and Smith were 3 years old, Smith's mom reached out to Jan and they've been close friends ever since. According to the outlet, the families have spent every Christmas together for the past 30 years, but in 2012, Underwood decided to break the tradition.

Fortunately, he had a legitimate excuse.

Underwood took Smith, who he has loved since childhood, for a drive in a limo to look at the Christmas lights. When he stepped out of the car, he got down on one knee and proposed.

The childhood sweethearts, who've decided they want a Western-themed wedding, are set to marry this summer.

"For me, it is about being a part of Jessica’s life and always being together," Underwood told Fort Worth Texas Magazine about their upcoming nuptials.

Before You Go

High School Sweethearts
(01 of14)
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@ronabelle77: "Old school photo from 1995, wedding photo from 2001"
(02 of14)
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"Junior year prom (approx. age 16) and our wedding this past October (age 27)." - Lauren Glatthorn
(03 of14)
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"Mike & Missy Blaut, Senior Prom 1988 and Wedding Oct 21, 1995" - Missy Pflanz-Blaut
(04 of14)
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@quixee: "I did! :) Started dating in 2006 - we met in Physics class! Married almost a year ago (May 25, 2012)"
(05 of14)
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@margilee93: "Sophomore formal on top, and our wedding photo on the bottom :)"
(06 of14)
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"We were elementary school classmates, we didn't see each other for about 15 years. We saw each other again when I took my grandma to the ER and she was the ER physician. We dated for 18 days and we got married. We have been married for 19 years and we have 2 children, Jorge,18, and Edna, 12." - Jorge Delgado
(07 of14)
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"We've been together for nine years, since my junior year of high school. We married three years ago, and are still going strong. I attached a photo from our senior prom, and one of our first dance at our wedding, six years later!" - Joelle Duff
(08 of14)
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C_StanCan: "Started dating in 1989, married in August 2008"
(09 of14)
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@ninadngr: "@imamathguy & I celebrate 5yrs in August. Best friends since '98, prom in '01, married in '08. :)"
(10 of14)
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@kadunn15: "A lot happened in between (college, living on opposite coasts,etc) but we reconnected and married!"
(11 of14)
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@mrsjfd: "Prom 04/06, Wedding day 04/12 ❤ #highschoolsweethearts"
(12 of14)
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"Brian and Jennifer Collier, then and now..." - Jennifer Collier
(13 of14)
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"I married my high school sweetheart, Chris Dall'au this October on our nine year anniversary. We started dating our junior year of high school...and I guess it stuck!!" - Danielle Dall'au
(14 of14)
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@RiceInk: "Married my high school sweatheart! Wedding photo circa 2000 left, prom photo circa 1995 right!!"