Meeting On Facebook
Matthew Eledge and Elliot Dougherty met on Facebook. Elliot was using Facebook to build up his portfolio as a hairstylist by working with local designers and photographers. A few months after he was networking on Facebook, he received a Facebook message from Matthew. Elliot looked at his profile, and it said that he was a “Marian and an artistic warrior.” Elliot was intrigued by Matthew and opened up the Facebook message. In the message, he told Elliot that he had a potential opportunity for him. He sent Elliot a script for a movie that he was directing, and he asked if he would like to be involved. Elliot thought that they should meet.
The Meeting
The two decided to meet in a cafe in downtown Omaha. After their first visit, love started to blossom. That summer, the two shot the film together, and they got closer. According to Elliot, he styled the wigs for the movie, and Matthew stole his heart. Both men were falling in love. It wasn’t long before they decided to live together. They were both adventurous, so rather than staying in Nebraska, they decided to travel to Europe, and visit various countries from Turkey to the Netherlands.
Going Home
After four months of traveling, they headed back home. They both missed the things they left behind. At the same time, they also started talking about starting a family together. After returning home and settling in together, Elliot got some devastating news. He found out that his mother was diagnosed with cancer. After hearing the news, he realized that life was too short to put things off, and he and Matthew decided to get married. He wanted his mother to see him get married. Since gay marriage had just been legalized in Nebraska, they knew that it was the right time to take the plunge.
Not Everyone Was Happy
While many of the people in the men’s lives were happy about their upcoming marriage, some weren’t. When the school where Matthew taught heard about the upcoming nuptials, they let him know that they wouldn’t be renewing his contract. His students tried to fight for him, but the school wouldn’t budge. His time at the school was over.
Getting Married
Matthew didn’t let the school’s position on his marriage change his mind, and the two were married in a spiritual celebration. Sadly, their happiness didn’t last long. Elliot’s mother died of cancer the winter after the wedding. While this was devastating for him and his family, one good thing happened. He became an uncle for the first time. The birth of Elliot’s nephew made both men want to start a family of their own.
Obstacles
As much as they wanted a family, the two men knew that it was going to be difficult. After seeing what happened with Matthew’s job, they realized that adoption might be difficult. It was illegal for same-sex couples to foster a child two years earlier. The couple started looking into IVF, but that would be difficult also. They would need to find an egg donor, which wouldn’t be easy.
A Generous Offer
When Elliot sat down and talked with his sister about wanting a family, she made a generous offer. She offered to be an egg donor for her brother and his husband. The men gladly accepted. Her offer made it possible for the baby to be genetically related to both him and Matthew. The final hurdle was finding a surrogate to carry the baby.
Another Generous Offer From A 61 Years Old
The couple was having trouble finding a surrogate, and the agencies in the area didn’t seem to want to help. This was when Matthew’s mother stepped in and offered to carry the baby for them. She was 60-years-old, so the two men didn’t think that it was possible. After speaking to an IVF specialist, they found out that Matthew’s mother could carry the baby as long as she was healthy.
The Procedure
With everyone on board, the treatments began. The doctors managed to retrieve 24 eggs from Elliot’s sister, and 13 of them were fertilized with Matthew’s sperm. Because of Matthew’s mother’s age, 61 years old they decided just to implant one embryo because a multiple pregnancy could be dangerous for her. Shortly after the procedure, she found out she was pregnant.
A Baby Is Born From A 61 Years Old
At the age of 61 this woman gave birth to her own granddaughter. At 6:06 am, Uma Louise came into the world, and made Matthew and Elliot the happiest men alive. They are thankful to everyone involved for helping their dream come true. Matthew and Elliot finally had the family that they always dreamed of. Elliot says that he knew that his mother was watching over them, enjoying her granddaughter from Heaven.
