Maria Anita Antonaccio and Harry Douglas Gural crossed paths for the first time on Easter Sunday in 2018. They were both visiting their mothers at a senior living community in Lewisburg, Pa. Mr. Gural, a senior adviser to Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, had traveled from Washington to see his recently widowed mother, Ruth Gural, whom he had moved to the facility. Ms. Antonaccio, an academic and author, was struck by Mr. Gural’s articulate nature, as she was not accustomed to encountering individuals like him at the senior facility.
Although they noticed each other during their initial meeting, they didn’t have the opportunity to engage in a one-on-one conversation due to the presence of Ruth. In the following weeks, Ms. Antonaccio occasionally saw Mr. Gural’s car with D.C. plates in the parking lot. She contemplated leaving her business card on his windshield but ultimately decided against it.
In July of that year, Ms. Antonaccio gathered the courage to ask Mr. Gural to join her for a bike ride on a nearby rural trail. Despite initially hesitating, he eventually agreed. These bike rides became a regular weekend activity for them, providing an escape from their busy careers and the challenges of caring for their mothers. They would ride along the Susquehanna River Valley, enjoying scenic views and engaging in deep conversations about life.
As they continued spending time together, they discovered shared cultural references and similar upbringings. Both had experienced long-term relationships but had never been married or had children. Eventually, Ms. Antonaccio and her mother joined Mr. Gural and Ruth for dinner at the community hall, forming a close bond with a group of senior women.
Their relationship didn’t transition into a romantic one until March 2019, nearly a year after they first met. Cognac played a role in their first romantic encounter, leading to a nervous but exciting first kiss for Ms. Antonaccio, who had been single for a significant amount of time.
Ms. Antonaccio is a professor of religious ethics and the director of the Humanities Center at Bucknell University, while Mr. Gural has a background in social studies and public administration. In March 2020, amidst the emergence of the Covid pandemic, they decided to move their mothers into a pod-like arrangement, with Ms. Antonaccio teaching classes via Zoom and Mr. Gural working remotely while caring for their mothers. They brought a sense of fun and lightness to their days, even in challenging times.
After supporting each other through the passing of their mothers – Ruth in September 2022 and Therese, Ms. Antonaccio’s mother, in February – they realized the strength of their bond. In September 2022, while sitting outside a favorite ice cream shop, Mr. Gural proposed to Ms. Antonaccio, and she happily accepted.
The couple got married on August 5, in a small chapel in Chappaqua, N.Y., where Ms. Antonaccio attended as a child. The ceremony honored their mothers with readings and music. Following a reception at Crabtree’s Kittle House, a select group took a scenic walk through the woods before enjoying tapas together.
Their wedding ceremony commenced with a reading from the book of Ecclesiastes, emphasizing the idea that there is a time for everything. They both agree that now is their time to fully embrace life and celebrate their love.
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