Episode 548: Joe Horton, Dear Wife Ann Died of MS After 43 Years of Marriage

Listen, Learn & Love Hosted by Richard Ostler

My friend Joe Horton shares the story of falling in love in 1978 with his wife Ann concurrent with her MS diagnosis. Joe talks about healing blessings, advice to not marry someone with MS, and his personal revelation to marry Ann. It is a beautiful and deeply moving love story. Joe (who was President/CEO of Primary Children’s Hospital from 1994-2007 and currently is Professor in the MHA Program at the David Eccles School of Business) talks about the deep rewards and challenges of the road they jointly walked together. That road included having two children (Matt and Drew), Ann eventually needing a wheelchair, managing providing care, Ann blessing so many, and Ann’s passing on April 15, 2021. You can read Ann’s obituary here: https://www.larkinmortuary.com/obituary/view/margaret-ann-horton-13 Joe’s life is very different than he imagined on the flight home from Rome Italy in 1975 after a successful LDS mission. However, Joe shares how he wouldn’t trade this life for the life he once imagined. Joe ends the podcast with nine life lessons he has learned from the experience. The principles in these life lessons are foundational and can help all of us navigate the realities of mortality. I encourage everyone to listen to this podcast. It will help you have more hope. It will help you better see our Heavenly Parents love for all their children during our difficult mortal journey. It will also help you help others as they walk complicated roads. Thank you, Joe, for being on the podcast. Your story honors Ann. I’m glad more are hearing about your wonderful wife and the many lives that are better because of her. Thank you for your courage and faith and all the lives that are better because of you.