Cecil Bethea, 84, and his longtime partner, Carl Shepherd, 72, talked about getting married three decades ago, but as gay marriage wasn't an option, they concluded they were content to continue living together. "As I remember in the old time wedding vows, there was a phrase in there; 'in sickness and in health,'" Cecil continued. "Well this is certainly sickness. And if I didn't do it, who would?"

The Denver Post Report: Cecil and Carl: In Sickness and in Health