An 80-year-old man in Utah continues working as a grocery bagger to pay off his late wife’s medical bills because of a promise he made to her.
We all make promises in marriage, but few of us face the test Gary Saling faces. When we say “for better or worse,” we hope the worse part stays manageable. Gary shows us what real love looks like when worse becomes overwhelming.
From Architect to Grocery Bagger
Most shoppers at Smith’s Market in St. George, Utah know Gary as the friendly man who bags their groceries. They don’t know he used to design million dollar homes for wealthy clients. He even made it onto Architectural Digest’s top 100 list.
Back in high school, he delivered groceries to movie star Bette Davis. She told him, “because your mom has waited on me at Victor Hugo… How I know you’re her son is you’re just as much of a workaholic as she is.”
Love at First Sight
Gary’s whole world changed when he saw Carol at a red light in 1991. “I mean, it was the exact instant. We both raised our sunglasses,” he said.
They had been going to the same coffee shop for years but never met. The shop owner’s wife knew they belonged together and finally introduced them.
“We fell in love with each other on the bench because we ended up sitting there for three hours,” Gary remembered.
When Sickness Tested Their Vows
Their happy life took a hard turn in 2017. Carol got diagnosed with Sundowner’s syndrome, a type of dementia. They moved to southern Utah to be near a brain doctor.
Gary explains, “The neurology was covered by Medicare. What wasn’t covered was the promise that I would keep her at home and never put her in a nursing home.”
A Debt of Love
Carol was an artist who brought joy to Gary’s life. She died in 2021, but left behind $80,000 in medical bills. Gary could have walked away from the debt, but he won’t.
“There is no way I’m a hero. I am not an angel, and I’m certainly not a saint. I made the promise to keep her at home and never put her in a nursing home because I took vows,” he said.
Community Steps Up
A local woman named Duana Johnson saw Gary working and wondered why a man his age still bagged groceries. When she learned his story, she started a fundraiser.
The community has raised about $2,000 through the Gary Saling Donation Account at State Bank of Southern Utah and a Venmo account called @HelpGaryRetire.
God sees Gary’s heart and his sacrifice, and we believe He will provide for this devoted husband who honors his word.
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