Lifesharing partners Adrienne Hayman and Beth Ann celebrate five years together. 

By Sydney Kerelo

Since November 16, 2017, KenCrest Direct Support Professional (DSP) Adrienne Hayman and Beth Ann have lived together as Lifesharing partners in Pennsylvania. But they’re more than that; they’re family.

Adrienne and Beth Ann connected when Adrienne inquired about KenCrest’s Lifesharing program. She loved working as a DSP and grew up watching her aunt raise her two cousins with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“Living with them and watching them learn and develop made me want to work in this industry,” says Hayman. “It is challenging, but if you have compassion, patience, and love in your heart, you’ll do just fine.”

Hayman had already worked for KenCrest for 24 years before she learned about Lifesharing, and at the time, she was searching for another way to make an impact on people with disabilities’ lives.

“I was in the main office one day when I saw a pamphlet for Lifesharing,” says Adrienne Hayman. “So, I inquired about it to a program manager, and she immediately mentioned Beth Ann, who I’ve known for many years through work.”

Beth Ann looked at Adrienne and instantly knew who she was and loved her. “She said, ‘That’s my old girl,'” laughs Hayman. “Everyone laughed, and we decided to move forward with Lifesharing right there and then.”

Beth Ann is known for her affectionate and loving nature. She is an avid music lover and is constantly singing or dancing around. Whenever Adrienne is entertaining her family and friends, Beth Ann is the first to get the party started—and they adore her for it.

“My family will choose Beth Ann over me any day,” laughs Hayman. “If I show up at a gathering, the first thing they say is, ‘where’s Beth Ann?'”

Hayman’s family hugely supports her Lifesharing journey and treats Beth Ann as one of the family. They’re there if Hayman needs help picking up Beth Ann or bringing her to an appointment.

The duo recently celebrated their 5th anniversary by visiting Nifty Fifty’s for a milkshake and Dave and Busters to play arcade games with Hayman’s two daughters. Beth Ann even sported her new ‘Gotcha Day’ t-shirt.

Hayman’s family adores Beth Ann, and she loves them right back. But while her new relationship with the Hayman family has blossomed, her own family dynamic hit a lull.

Beth Ann’s mother was very sick for a long time, preventing her from seeing her daughter, which devastated Beth Ann because she loved her mother so much. But one day, Hayman got a call from Beth Ann’s aunt asking if she would like to visit.

“I didn’t tell her right away that I was taking her to see her mom,” giggles Hayman. “I waited and then told her; she started clapping her hands and said, ‘Oh, I’m so happy I get to see my mom; I missed her so much.'”

Once she got there, Beth Ann couldn’t contain herself and immediately hugged her mother. She spent the whole visit smiling and dancing.

“It made me feel so good that I was able to make her happy,” says Hayman. “She doesn’t get to talk to her mom every day, so it was a joyous occasion for us all, and I am just glad I could make it happen.”

Beth Ann has created a light in Adrienne’s family, one full of love, and Adrienne has been able to give that love right back to her. They are officially a family, and it will always be that way.