A man became the legal guardian of his wife's ex: "Loving her means loving him"
A new husband has devoted himself to caring for his ex-wife, who has a severe disability, and even became his legal guardian.
SSPDaily tells about it.
When 36-year-old James Armstrong decided to marry 38-year-old Kris, she set him one unusual condition. Kris told James that her high school sweetheart and ex-husband, 38-year-old Brandon, should be a part of their lives.
Kris and Brandon married in 2006, but their happiness was short-lived as two years later Brandon was involved in a horrific car accident.
Brandon suffered a severe brain injury that left him mentally and physically disabled and unable to take care of himself. The devoted wife continued to care for her husband for many years but eventually decided to move on and filed for divorce.
But she couldn't give up on Brandon and applied to become his legal guardian.
When James met Kris, he realized what an unconventional deal he was making and welcomed Brandon with open arms and mind.
His love for Kris was passed on to Brandon, and James took on all the responsibility of caring for his ex-husband.
James told CBS Mornings: "It's not just love for her, it's also love for Brandon. He needs us. He needs people who love him."
Together, the couple takes care of Brandon, from feeding, dressing and bathing him to taking him to doctors' appointments.
Kris said: "I think being a physical caregiver is a part of Brandon's life. The fact that we swaddle Brandon together, I can do it myself, but it's really, really hard. James helps me, it's such a gift of love."
Brandon lives in an assisted living facility, and Kris and James visit him regularly.
The couple's two children also adore Brandon, calling him "uncle."
Kris, who has been caring for her ex for 15 years, said her ex's short-term memory has been severely affected. This led to Brandon forgetting that James was his ex-wife's new husband. But she assured him that both men adore each other, and in Brandon's eyes, there was another person who truly cares about him.
James' love for Brandon is so deep that he is ready to take care of Brandon even if Kris is no longer around.
"I also told her that if something happened to her or she died, I would fight for custody. He will have another advocate," James said.
And if Brandon had a chance to recover, James would not hesitate to give up his marriage.
He told Kris: "If there is some miraculous treatment for people with brain injury and Brandon can get better, I want you to be with him, you'll be with him first."
But Kris replied: "And I don't think that's going to happen, but the fact remains that you're a very special person, really special."
James added that he believed his touching gesture was the right thing to do: "I do what my heart tells me to do."