After a
New York judge ruled in 2015 that a woman could use Facebook to serve divorce papers, it’s never been easier to untie the knot. While the divorce rate is dropping according to a recent
Time magazine report, it’s still the case that nearly 2 out of every 5 American couples will split up.
Thankfully, in an age where love comes and goes so easily, we still have the example of people who have stuck together through thick and thin. For Trent and Amber Johnston, things have never been simple.
Both Johnstons suffer from achondroplasia, which the
National Institutes of Health describe “as a disorder of bone growth that prevents the changing of cartilage (particularly in the long bones of the arms and legs) to bone.” In simple words, they are little people. Amber is 4 feet tall and Trent is 4 feet 3 inches, and they face the difficulty of living in a world that isn’t made with keeping them in mind.
This hasn’t stopped them from loving each other and following their dreams. The Johnstons have been together for more than 20 years now but have kept the passion alive that has carried them ever since their first meeting. The couple told
Mirror.co.uk, “I [Trent] saw a gorgeous blond-haired, blue-eyed, 16-year-old girl.
“And I [Amber] saw a very attractive young man with a funny personality.”
The couple always dreamed of having a big family, and they’ve made it, with two biological children and three adopted children, one from Russia, a second one from South Korea, and the third one from China. Their children all have achondroplasia, and this makes them a pretty unique bunch.
TLC found their story so compelling, as “the largest known family of little people in the world,” trying to fix up a 1890s house in rural Georgia, that they created
The 7 Little Johnstons in 2015. Since then, the family has won the hearts of viewers around the country with their trials and triumphs.
While the show isn’t the only one about little people on TV, the couple’s honesty about the difficulties of staying together and raising such a big family sets it apart. As Amber told
Good Housekeeping, “Being able to show some of our struggles will be relatable to viewers because it’s not just that we’re struggling because we’re 4 feet tall; we’re struggling to raise teenagers or in our marriage.”
She further added, “They are things that everybody can relate to, no matter what.”
The Johnstons’ kids are now adolescents and young adults, so that brings the additional challenges of trying to shepherd their children through the minefields of dating, going to college, and becoming independent.
The couple has also not modified their home to meet their special needs.
“Trent and I were raised the same way, nothing was modified for us. We are adamant our kids learn to adapt to the outside world so they can go out there and get on with life, and that training begins at home,” Amber
shared. “The only thing I have adapted is my car–I have pedal extensions to drive safely. Everything else is normal.”
What keeps the couple going in all of this is their humility and simplicity. As they try to show each episode, despite all the media curiosity and attention, they are just ordinary folks who have decided to open up about what we all deal with.
Friends also lovingly refer to them as the “Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie of little people.”
Rather than making their lives more difficult, sharing their story has helped keep them honest. They hope that their show can inspire others to try their best to love their families no matter what circumstances life throws their way.
“Everybody’s got a challenge, no matter how tall, short, skinny, or fat you are,” Amber rightly notes. Wise words from a woman who knows what she’s talking about. Wishing Amber and Trent many more happy years together!
