When NY Couple Faced Homophobia While Planning Wedding, 90-Year Old Grandmother Settled the Score

A New York couple got a taste of not-so-friendly Southern hospitality when they reached out to a North Carolina vendor to arrange a service for their upcoming wedding. Daniel Sheehan and Matt Price told People Magazine how they were planning arranging transportation to the remote location where their marriage is to take place and called a local trolley company. "We were just trying to get our grandparents and guests from point A to point B," Sheehan told People. "It shouldn't have been the most complicated part of our planning process."

Things became complicated when the trolley company picked up on this being a same sex wedding, or, as they asked Sheehan and Price, a "groom plus groom" wedding. Learning it was true, a woman from the company declined to offer them service, saying that "marriage is sacred" according to her understanding of the Bible and adding, "How can God be God, if we don't allow him to be God?"

The couple didn't respond, instead posted a Google review of the company to warn other LGBTQ+ people about their experience. Not long after, the woman "emailed them again in a more hostile tone than before, seemingly lashing out in response to their post. Her follow-up message included a politicized rant about how gay people 'didn't know when to quit pushing,' and she accused the LGBTQ+ community of putting Donald Trump in power by scaring Christians into supporting him," People wrote.

"When we first received the response back, I was shocked," Price tells PEOPLE. "This is from a person and a company that operates maybe 10 miles away from where I grew up ... and it never really crossed my mind as we were going through this planning process that this experience we're having was even one that was really possible to have today."

"I had a similar level of disbelief," Sheehan adds, noting that the message brought "a lot of emotions to the surface" and had his heart racing.

As the story spread throughout both men's families, Sheehan was concerned what his 90-year old grandmother Ginny Parasiliti would react. "It was exactly what she was afraid we would experience when I came out," Sheehan told People. "I knew she'd be hurt to know what happened."

Instead, Parasiliti, a Catholic, first-generation Italian American, spoke out against the discrimination the men experienced. "Hi guys, I am just beside myself with FURY!!!!! But, I'm not going to let these bigots ruin my excitement about your wedding," Parasiliti's text read. "Christianity is loving each of us & the path we have chosen!!!! Love is who we choose as our partner, & the one who makes our lives complete!!!! Raise your heads up high, & be PROUD of who you are!!! Amazing humans!!!!! Love you guys with all my heart. ♥️"

In a quick follow-up text, she added: "I have a new recipe for you. Tuscan chicken. I'll send it to you. 👍💕💕💕"

Sheehan spoke of how close he has been with his grandmother. "She is a light of my life," Sheehan told People, explaining that she and his grandpa helped raise him when his mother became ill with multiple sclerosis. "She's so outspoken in her support, becoming another grandparent for friends of mine, including many who had less-than-desirable coming out experiences."

"She is an incredible balance of sweet and fiery that I don't think you always find in someone, but it's something that I think she really embodies," Price added. "She's just been fantastic to myself, to both of us, and helped support our relationship."