Q & A with Sharon's son, George Episode 28: Special Guests Allison Toepperwein & Steven Eury

In April 2010, Allison (Allie) Toepperwein experienced a tremor in her left hand while living in Austin, Texas and giving birth to her daughter. Around eight months later, in December 2010, Steven Eury noticed a tremor in his right hand while filming the birth of his son in North Carolina. These two individuals, who were strangers at the time, were living in separate marriages and were 1100 miles apart. The following year, Steven received a diagnosis of Young Onset Parkinson's Disease (YOPD). It took another 4 1/2 years, and 2 1/2 months after Allison's divorce before she, too, was diagnosed with YOPD.
Allison went on to make history by becoming the first person with Parkinson's to compete on the popular TV show American Ninja Warrior. She began blogging, delivering motivational speeches, and advocating for single moms, women, and young adults with diseases. In May 2020, after six years of frustrating dating experiences, Allison decided to surrender her search for a soulmate and entrusted her soul and future partner to God. She wrote a heartfelt prayer on a piece of paper, expressing her faith that God was preparing the right person for her, and until then, she would solely seek Him.
Just four days later, Steven, who had recently gone through a divorce, purchased property on a street named Allison. He intended to build a new home and embark on a fresh chapter of life with his children and his dog named Allie.
In August 2020, one of Steven's friends sent him a blog post written by a stranger named Allison, sharing her experiences of "Dating With Parkinson's." Steven felt an inexplicable connection and decided to reach out to her. Two months later, in October 2020, the two finally met. Two years later the couple were married. They now reside on the very street named Allison, alongside Steven's dog Allie, who joined the family in 2016, their three children, a cat, a bunny, and a new puppy.
In September 2022, the pair joined 10 other people with Parkinson's to run the Blue Ridge Relay, which is an arduous 208 mile relay through the Blue Ridge mountains, two states and more than 16,000 Feet of ascent. The following month, October 8, 2022, the pair married in front of their closest, family and friends.
Then, in December of 2023, one week before Christmas, the couple crossed over with a new connection, by both under going brain surgery. The procedure they both endured on the same day, with the same surgeon, in the same hospital and operating room just an hour apart is called Deep Brain Stimulation or DBS surgery. It is now considered standard of care for people with PD that qualify.
Their unique journey has brought them closer together, and they proudly embrace the hashtag #InLoveWithParkinsons.