[♪] [calm waves breaking on a shore] [quiet drone music begins] [Alexander's voiceover] [music swells] [river sounds] [Alexander, in video] Yeah, it takes me a little bit of extra time to get places.

[Orina, in video] You wanna come?

[Alexander, in video] [Orina, in video] We can do this.

[Alexander, in video] [chuckles] No, hi!

We will not fall to our untimely death [both laugh] [Alexander, in video] -[Orina, in video] With Maya?

-[Alexander, in video] [Orina, in video] I don’t know.

[river sounds get louder] [Orina, in video] Now have a seat.

There you go.

[Alexander, in video] [rushing river] [he continues] [Orina, in video] Yes.

[wheels rolling on dry leaves] [drone of a plane overhead] [Orina, in video] Hold on.

I thought we decided not to play with her leg because a sleeping baby is better.

[sighs] Thank you.

[Alexander, in video] [Orina chuckles] But would you want to play with her legs and listen to her scream, or do you want to leave her legs alone and let her sleep?

[laughs] [Orina, in video] Mm-hmm.

[Orina, in video] I know.

She really is.

[Orina] Mm-hmm.

[Orina, in video] Yes, we did.

[light piano music begins] [Alexander's voiceover] [Orina, in video] Maya!

[Alexander's voiceover] [chortles] [light piano music continues] [he continues] [haunting melody begins] [he continues] [mournful musical note] [he continues] [mournful musical note] [sound of someone crawling] [Linda chuckles] Hi!

Hi.

Look at Daddy Where’s Daddy?

Alexander?

Where’s Daddy?

Hi Daddy.

[Baby Alexander makes happy sounds] Hi Daddy!

[melodic keyboard music begins] [Linda] With Alexander, we wanted to try to normalize our family life as much as possible.

We knew there'd been a difficult birth, that there were challenges.

But we didn't know that that would translate into anything long term.

[swell of melodic keyboard music] [John, in video] Put your tongue in.

You don’t want to?

Do you want some more apple juice?

[music fades out slowly under slurping sounds] [Steve, Sound Recordist] Sound roll, here we go.

[Erik, Cinematographer] Speed.

[Steve] This is John and Linda, -A-camera mark.

-[slate clap] Alexander was our first child, and so we didn’t have anything to go on what’s normal; what’s a little atypical, and so Alexander was just who he was at the time, and we were totally in love with him.

[Alexander making happy sounds] [John] The diagnosis came as a shock.

Even so, we learned that there's so many different degrees of cerebral palsy that the diagnosis by itself doesn't tell you a whole lot.

[Linda] Early intervention reached out to us.

[toy rattling] I'll always remember her looking at Alexander and saying, -This is the most sociable baby I have ever met!

-[laughs] [Susan, Teacher, in video] Good boy, we're almost there.

[John] And so we turned ourselves to the job of giving him the best chance possible with lots of therapy.

So from the very beginning, he had physical therapy, he had occupational therapy, and he had speech therapy.

[Barbara, Physical Therapist, in video] One, two.

three, four-- five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, stand tall!

13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 Stand tall!

Okay.

[Alexander's voiceover] [Linda] We wanted Alexander to do as many of the things that his peers were doing as possible.

[energetic keyboard music begins] [electric wheelchair sounds] [young Alexander’s excited breathing] [crowd chuckles] [bi-ski making a jump on snow] [skis carving snow] [instructor, in video] Ready!

Set!

Woo!

[quiet children’s lullaby playing] [Alexander's voiceover] [Orina chuckles, in video behind camera] [Alexander laughs, in video] [Baby Maya whimpers, in video] [Orina, in video] So put your hand under her belly and kinda just roll her to her back.

[Baby Maya makes fluttery sounds] -[Orina, in video] Yup.

-[Alexander grunts, in video] [Orina, in video] Yup, that’s it That’s it!

[Alexander's voiceover] [Alexander matching Maya’s grunting and yelling sounds] [vocalizing] [John chuckles] [John, in video] Hi Gary!

[young Alexander, in video] You’re not Gary?

[vocalizing] [John] Alexander’s speech was difficult to understand, but what we learned was that Alexander really, really wanted to make himself understood, and he worked so hard on this [practicing his words] [Alexander's voiceover] [crowd shuffling sounds] [Young Alexander, in video] [enthusiastic applause] [low static sound] [young Alexander, in video] [crawling off screen] [John] Alexander loved to tell stories.

He loved to have his stories acted in a show.

And so I think that storytelling was central to Alexander wanting people to know what was going on in his head.

[big wave crash] [drone music with arpeggios] [he continues] [big sigh] [he continues] [background talking and rustling] [Alexander] [Erik, Cinematographer] Gotcha.

[Brandon, Producer] So where do we want him to look?

[Alexander] [Brandon] and in terms of b-roll, do you have-- [Alexander's voiceover] [atmospheric ambient music] [he continues] [John] It’s very, very good that Alexander has found something that he loves to do.

Once you do that, things can’t really go that wrong.

Whether or not you’ll be able to make a living?

I don’t know.

Alexander doesn’t know.

[melodic keyboard moment] [Alexander's voiceover] [ambient music with deep timber] [he continues] [tense music plays] [keyboard note with reverb] -[Steve] Sound is speeding here.

-[Erik] Cameras are rolling.

[Dean, Gaffer] K, we have Alex and Orina Take one.

[slate clap] So when I first met Alex, it was at the screening of... his movie “The Wounds We Cannot See.” I was working for the person putting on the screening.

I was like, “Why not go see a movie?” [lyrical keyboard music] [Alexander's voiceover] When I went to talk to you, you asked me if I could take your picture.

And so I did.

[laughs] [Orina's voiceover] And then you asked me to send you the pictures I took.

You supposedly didn’t have your phone with you.

So I sent you the pictures and that’s how you got my number.

[keyboard music continues] [Alexander's voiceover] [Orina's voiceover] And then I spent the night with you.

[Alexander's voiceover] After that first night, you tried to tell me you loved me.

And I told you you were lying and confused.

[Alexander] Not to say it again?

Yeah.

[music changes to a new key] [Alexander's voiceover] [Orina's voiceover] Because you made me happy.

You definitely brought out the best in me.

You challenge me in the right way.

You get my needs and my wants.

[Alexander's voiceover] [Orina's voiceover] We took our trip to South Carolina, and then I went to Florida for the winter.

And that's when I found out that I was pregnant.

[pensive music begins] [Orina] Before I told you or anyone else, it was a long, long night that night.

Am I really ready to have a baby?

Do I really want her?

Am I ready to take on all the responsibilities that having a child and being with you involve?

[she continues] I just wanted to make sure before I told anybody that it was something I really wanted.

So then once I was like, “Ok, I can handle it.” I’ve decided that I was ready for that Then I just kinda took a breath and was like, “Ok, let’s do it.” [chuckles] [twinkling keyboard music with bass undertones] [Alexander's voiceover] [Orina's voiceover] Hm?

[Alexander's voiceover] [Orina's voiceover] I guess when say I love someone, it means I care about them no matter what their life choices are, and no matter how I feel about their life choices, I’ll still be there for them.

When you love someone, it’s not always about agreeing with them, it’s being there no matter what.

[reading] [contemplative melody plays] [Alexander] [laughs] It was really, really, really hard for me.

You told us that Orina was pregnant in January, and I guess, expected us to be really happy, and instead we were devastated.

They had only known each other since, like, June of the prior year.

Orina wasn't even living in Boston at the time.

They hadn't had any time to live together and see how they were as a couple I don't... apologize for my reaction understanding that... we didn't know Orina really at all.

I--I couldn't get excited about it at the time because I just saw it all happening so fast.

Not sure how solid a couple you would be and then what would happen?

[Alexander] Alexander I-- I feel very bad, but I also... felt that I was true to my own feelings at the time.

If Orina weren't such an extraordinary person, [Alexander chuckles] it was-- would’ve-- I still think there could have been real, real problems.

But she is an extraordinary person.

And so we see that things are going well But our worries were about you.

I mean, it was honest love and concern for your future.

Like, what would happen if this didn't take?

And then you lost not only a partner, but a child?

And we just imagined all these, you know, we were doing worst case scenarios.

[quiet keyboard music] [Alexander] [John and Linda chuckle] [Linda] Our reaction had nothing to do with the person we now call Maya, who we adore.

It had to do with loving you and wanting to protect you.

[John] We saw how they have become a family, and how well they're doing and our respect for them as parents is enormous.

[quiet keyboard music continues] [Orina's voiceover] It made me sad, especially for you that your parents weren't very excited about the baby.

and that they wanted it not in our lives, and they didn't get to enjoy all of those moments with us.

That's their choice.

We made our choice.

We decided we wanted her.

And I'm very happy we kept her.

And I wouldn't change that for the world.

[Orina, in video] Ready oop!

Belly oop!

And one and two and one and two.

[Orina] It hurt you more because they're your parents I know it did, but they are your parents.

That's the thing I had support from my mom and my family.

You were not getting the same which is why you were hurt more.

It's why it impacted you more.

-[mild ocean sounds] -[Jess, in video] Hi!

[Orina, in video] Hi!

We're going to get wet and then come join you.

[Jess] Okay.

[kid yells with glee] [wave crashes close by] [sounds of feet stamping in water] [Orina, in video] This is perfect, Alex.

Water.

[Alexander, in video] [Alexander giggles] [Alexander's voiceover] [distant crashing waves] [he continues] [Orina, in video] C’mon big wave coming!

Big wave ready?

Jump!

[Orina panicked] Ah!

What are you doing Alex?

Why are you going down?

Are you sitting or are you standing?

[Alexander, in video] -[Orina, in video] What?

-[Alexander, in video] -[Orina voice breaking] Then stand!

-[Alexander, high pitched] [Orina grunting with effort, relieved] Thank you.

-[Alexander, in video] -[Orina, in video] Yes.

-[Alexander, in video] -[Orina, in video] Okay.

[incredulous] Yeah, you're not even really walking.

Hello.

[light splashes of effort] [Alexander, in video, jokingly] [Orina laughs] You're kinda killing me too.

[Alexander chuckles] [Orina sighs] It's okay.

[Alexander's voiceover] [Baby Maya getting restless] [Alexander, in video] [Sheerie, Orina’s sister, in video] It’s alright.

[Maya ramping up her distress] [Sheerie, in video] See Daddy?

[Maya crying in earnest] [Maya wailing] [another baby cries with Maya] [Alexander's voiceover] [Maya’s cries become more distant as she is carried off] [Orina, in video] Maya Ella!

[Danny, Maya’s cousin, in video] I winned it!

[Orina, in video] Ahh, you did win!

[Alexander, in video] [Orina, in video] Yes?

[Alexander, in video] [Orina, in video] What's the issues?

[Alexander, in video] [Orina, in video] Well, that's what Jess said.

That's why I came back.

[Alexander, in video] [Alexander's voiceover] [Orina's voiceover] No.

I mean, do I wish sometimes that... you could just feed yourself or... go pee by yourself?

Sure.

[Alexander laughs] Are there times that I'm just lazy and don't want to get up?

Yeah.

But that doesn't mean I resent you for it.

It just means that I just don't want to at that second.

[street noise] [Orina, in video] Can I what?

[Alexander in video] [Orina, in video] Yeah.

[Orina's voiceover] Before meeting you, my exposure to disabilities was limited.

I never put a ton of thought into it.

It was either you were abled or you weren't.

And my brain never really thought too much past that, I guess.

[sound of boat pedals turning] [calming ambient music] [Orina's voiceover] I wasn’t sure what you were able to do.

Would we be able to do more than just stay near the house?

Could we go on trips to different places?

Because there was so still much I wanted to do, and there is still stuff I wanna do.

[Alexander, in video] [Orina, in video] Not at all.

I don’t mind changing the way I do things.

But I don’t-- I didn’t wanna stop doing something.

There still a lot we can do and there’s ways around different things.

[wind sounds] [Orina, in video] Can you videotape not me?

[Alexander, in video] [Orina, in video] Thank you.

[wheels rolling on the pavement] [Alexander's voiceover] [Maya crying with gusto] [Orina's voiceover] After living together for a while, you proposed to me.

[Alexander's voiceover] [Orina's voiceover] Mm-hmm.

And then we had our baby in August.

[restaurant chatter] [Alexander, in video] [Orina, in video] Yes, baby.

Oooh!

Oh!

Ahh!

It’s beautiful!

[Alexander laughs happily] [kisses] [Music swell] [Alexander's voiceover] [Alexander] Maya sleep well.

-[Alexander] -[Orina] Maya slept well?

[Alexander] [bedsheets rustling] [Alexander runs into door jam] [Orina] Oh, woah, woah, woah, Alex, watch yourself!

You gonna sit near Maya?

[Orina] Yup, I’m gonna sit near Maya.

-[Alexander calls from the bathroom] -Mom?

[Orina] What's up, baby?

I want milk, Mommy.

[Orina] You want some milk?

Can you say please?

[mouth full] Please.

[coffee cup clinks on the table] [Alexander] [Orina] All right, I'm coming.

Oh, thank you!

[Orina] You’re welcome!

[Maya sings a song] [Alexander chuckles] Good job, yay!

-Hey Ma-Maya?

-[Maya] Yeah?

What you doing with Daddy's toothbrush?

I brush this.

-[Alexander laughs] -[Orina] Oh, you’re brushing?

[Orina] Can we wipe Maya’s face?

[belt buckle tinkles] [electric toothbrush whirring] [Maya] Brush your teeth!

[Maya] Ahhhh!

Maya!

Maya.

Wait till Daddy is sitting and then you can brush Daddy's teeth.

Okay?

[Maya’s quiet singing] [electric toothbrush whirring] Ahh.

All done.

[Electric toothbrush turns off] Daddy push me.

Uh-huh.

[Maya] ‘Dank’ you!

[Alexander chuckles] [Orina] That’s where you say you're welcome.

[Maya] Welcome.

[Orina] No, Daddy’s supposed to say you're welcome.

[Maya] It’s good, Daddy?

[Alexander] It’s very good.

[Linda] Alexander's life is dependent on personal care attendants; eating a meal, going to the bathroom, getting showered All of that depends on someone helping.

It's constant... interventions.

[Alexander's voiceover] I’m gonna cover your eyes with this cloth, because the little hairs always get, like, in your eye.

And I know that bothers you because then I spray you with the water in your face.

Alright, so I'm going to lay this on your eyes, but I'm going to get this ready.

Alright, I'm covering your eyes.

Okay?

I'm going to gently hold it.

Close your mouth.

[electric razor buzzing] [razor turns off] Okay.

Voilà!

[Alexander's voiceover] [Deanna, in video] This is your first Valentine's together?

[Alexander short laugh] -[John] If you get married, -[Alexander] Yeah.

how does that affect your benefits?

And it affects them in an extremely negative way.

For a long time, there's been a penalty for disabled people who get married.

[Linda] And we didn't learn this until Alexander actually and Orina taught us this It made no sense for them to get married even though they have a family because they would lose too much.

The state of Massachusetts says that if me and you got legally married, we would obviously be sharing combined everything, including finances, [she continues] So that if I am your spouse, I can no longer be your PCA.

So that means any extra income that I get from working for you, I can no longer receive, and then all of our finances will change in the amount you get in your SSDI would change, and the amount of hours you get for PCA services would change because they wouldl consider me as part of your PCA but just doing it for free.

So I would still be expected to do all the things that I do anyways, but they would say that I should be doing it for free because I am your spouse.

So due to that, we have decided financially it makes more sense that I will never be legally married to you, so that I can work as your PCA and get a little bit of extra money on the side.

None of the money ever comes from you.

We use it to pay our bills and our everything, but we just keep separate accounts.

[Maya] I am ‘posed to hide.

[Orina] You’re supposed to hide?

[Maya] Yeah.

Yeah?

I’m supposed to hide, Mommy [Orina] Maya, why don't I close my eyes?

[Maya] Mm-hmm.

and I'll count to ten and you hide.

-Okay?

-Okay!

[Orina] Where’d Maya go?

Hmmm.

Where, oh where, is my Maya?

[Orina makes a surprised noise] [Orina devilishly] Ha!

Ha!

Ha!

-[Maya] Again!

-[Orina] Again?

[Toy farm voice] I think it’s going to be a cold night.

[Alexander's voiceover] [Orina] You’re stuck.

I think we have one too many feet in the hole.

[Alexander's voiceover] [Alexander] Chase me, Abba, please [Alexander] [Alexander and Maya squealing and laughing] [Alexander exclamation] [Maya giggling] [Maya] Daddy tickle me!

[splashing in the tub] Ok, moooooo.

[Alexander] [big splash] Ha!

Haha!

[Alexander] [small splash] [Alexander] Okay.

[Alexander's voiceover] [Orina] Right but just saying I am your father you should listen to me means nothing when you’re a small child.

When you are a child you are going to try your hardest to bend and break rules.

-[Alexander] So what-- -There’s nothing you can do Maya, do you want me to read you the book?

[Maya] This!

There you go.

-[big splashes] -[Alexander sighs] -[Orina] Maya.

-[Alexander] [Orina] Careful with the splashing, pretty girl.

The only difference is that you can’t physically get up and do certain things.

I don’t see her reacting any different to you than to me when just vocally told you need to do this.

That’s not true.

She loves and respects you as much as she can, and as much as she knows how, and you do everything you can for her, and you play and interact with her, and she loves the time that you guys spend together.

Everything else is that she’s her own person.

I’m a doctor!

[Orina] You’re a doctor?

[Alexander chuckles] Are you giving Daddy a checkup?

[Maya] It’s okay.

[Alexander laughs softly] [Quiet contemplative music plays] [Alec] How we feeling?

Keep working?

[Alexander] [Alec bursts out laughing] [Jeff, Cinematographer] It’s your wedding day, everyone’s nervous.

[Alexander] [Alec and Alexander laughing] [Jeff] that’s a natural thing, everyone’s nervous on their wedding day.

[Alexander's voiceover] [Orina's voiceover] While I’ve been at school and trying to do school work and finals, and I was your only PCA.

We took a lot of deep breaths We just kinda lived with the motto, "one day at a time."

We’ll just get through today and then get through tomorrow, do what we can and then it all will work out, and it did!

[rhythmic atmospheric music continues] [Alexander] [he continues] -Oh yes!

Yes, sir!

-[both laugh exuberantly] How we feeling?

[happy nostalgic piano music begins] [Alexander's voiceover] [Alexander] [Orina] Pick that up, please.

[Maya] Why?

[Orina] Because we don’t throw it.

I’m listening [crowd chuckles] [Alexander sarcastically] [Alexander continues his vow] That may be the longest vow I’ve ever heard, [crowd bursts out laughing] and the most moving, the most emotional.

Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, Mr.

and Mrs.

Alexander Freeman!

[crowd whoops and cheers] [Nostalgic piano music becomes prominent] [Alexander's voiceover] [minor notes play on keyboard] [faint traffic sounds on a quiet street] [seatbelt unlatching] [jangle of metal] [wheels cautiously rolling down a ramp] [piano music continues] [Alexander's voiceover] [final note sustains] [waves crash] [hopeful ambient music begins] [Alexander's voiceover] [chiming note resonates] [singing a Hebrew prayer] Here’s another one you have to say droppy, droppy Droppy, droppy.

You have to take it and drop it.

Droppy, droppy Wonderful job!

Ready for another one?

Yeah!

Yeah!

Yeah!

Can you-- Can you?

Can you dance Daddy?

Sure.

[musical toy] Push the paw pad!

-[John] Push the paw pad.

-I’m ready!

-[cheery music from toy] -[Maya] I’m holding tight!

-[Alexander laughing] -[Maya giggles] -[Alexander makes a choking sound] -Be careful, Daddy -[Alexander grunts] -[resonant piano chord] [Alexander, in video] -[plop] -[Orina, in video] [Maya, in video] Sorry Daddy, I’m trying, Daddy.

[Alexander, in video] [Alexander's voiceover] I feel like she's already created at this point, it's just raising it right.

[Alexander laughs] [everyone giggles] Here, you eat the peppers Eat the peppers!

Eat the peppers.

[distant water sloshing] [Alexander's voiceover] [Alexander, in video] [Orina, in video] Yes, love.

[Alexander, in video] [Orina, in video] I love you, too.

[Maya, indistinct] ["Darling Darling" by Stone Cold Fox plays] [song continues] [song fades to end]