Alli is the third of the four Pataki siblings. From left: brother Owen; father, George; brother Teddy; sister, Emily; mom, Libby; and Alli in upstate New York. The family often spent portions of August in the area while George, then a New York state assemblyman, was in session in nearby Albany.

Alli is the third of the four Pataki siblings. From left: brother Owen; father, George; brother Teddy; sister, Emily; mom, Libby; and Alli in upstate New York. The family often spent portions of August in the area while George, then a New York state assemblyman, was in session in nearby Albany.

Dave is the youngest of the six Levy brothers. Clockwise from left: brothers Jonathan, Erik, Scott; father, Nelson; mother, Louisa; brothers Mike, Dave, and Andy. (Dave is the little boy in front in the denim jumpsuit.)

Dave is the youngest of the six Levy brothers. Clockwise from left: brothers Jonathan, Erik, Scott; father, Nelson; mother, Louisa; brothers Mike, Dave, and Andy. (Dave is the little boy in front in the denim jumpsuit.)

An early love of history and drama: Alli (center) plays the role of Cosette alongside her big sister, Emily, and friends in a living room production of Les Misérables at the Pataki home.

An early love of history and drama: Alli (center) plays the role of Cosette alongside her big sister, Emily, and friends in a living room production of Les Misérables at the Pataki home.

Dave lost his hearing as a baby due to a series of ear infections. He eventually regained it following surgery, but had missed eighteen critical months of cognitive development, necessitating hard work and intense corrective rehabilitation as a child.

Dave lost his hearing as a baby due to a series of ear infections. He eventually regained it following surgery, but had missed eighteen critical months of cognitive development, necessitating hard work and intense corrective rehabilitation as a child.

Salad days. Dave and Alli began dating in the fall of their sophomore year of college, though they had met in their first days as freshmen.

Salad days. Dave and Alli began dating in the fall of their sophomore year of college, though they had met in their first days as freshmen.

Summer 2005: Alli goes home with Dave to Lake Forest, Illinois, to see his hometown and visit his family and friends. Here they are sitting in the “chaperone chair” that Nelson and Louisa put outside Alli’s bedroom.

Summer 2005: Alli goes home with Dave to Lake Forest, Illinois, to see his hometown and visit his family and friends. Here they are sitting in the “chaperone chair” that Nelson and Louisa put outside Alli’s bedroom.

Dave and Marya (called “Mar Mar” by Dave) at a college toga party. Marya introduced Alli to Dave and was ever-present throughout much of their courtship.

Dave and Marya (called “Mar Mar” by Dave) at a college toga party. Marya introduced Alli to Dave and was ever-present throughout much of their courtship.

“Take a picture of us,” Grandma Peg said as she took a break from frying eggs to hug Dave. She was the “first Pataki to make me feel like a member of the family,” Dave says of Alli’s grandmother.

“Take a picture of us,” Grandma Peg said as she took a break from frying eggs to hug Dave. She was the “first Pataki to make me feel like a member of the family,” Dave says of Alli’s grandmother.

Alli with sister-in-law Emled; sister, Emily; and brothers, Teddy and Owen, on her college graduation day, May 2007.

Alli with sister-in-law Emled; sister, Emily; and brothers, Teddy and Owen, on her college graduation day, May 2007.

Dave as a starting defensive midfielder for the Yale Bulldogs lacrosse team.

Dave as a starting defensive midfielder for the Yale Bulldogs lacrosse team.

Dave traveled to Central America the summer between his first and second years of medical school to work in a clinic in Guatemala and study Spanish. Here, on a day off, he enjoys a hike and a swim.

Dave traveled to Central America the summer between his first and second years of medical school to work in a clinic in Guatemala and study Spanish. Here, on a day off, he enjoys a hike and a swim.

Alli quit her job as a news writer and moved to Paris for a few months, before returning to try to make a career of writing fiction. Dave visited in late June 2010; here they visit Notre Dame cathedral.

Alli quit her job as a news writer and moved to Paris for a few months, before returning to try to make a career of writing fiction. Dave visited in late June 2010; here they visit Notre Dame cathedral.

Dave and Alli got engaged in August 2010 at the Pataki family farm in upstate New York. The next day, they found three four-leaf clovers; Alli pressed them to give to Dave on their wedding day with this note and picture.

Dave and Alli got engaged in August 2010 at the Pataki family farm in upstate New York. The next day, they found three four-leaf clovers; Alli pressed them to give to Dave on their wedding day with this note and picture.

Dave and Alli were married in late September 2011, seven years to the day after their first kiss.

Dave and Alli were married in late September 2011, seven years to the day after their first kiss.

Dave graduated from Columbia Medical School in 2012, a day of mixed emotions: Dr. Nelson Levy flew out to New York City to watch his youngest son realize his dream of becoming a doctor, while Louisa, recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer, could not travel from Chicago.

Dave graduated from Columbia Medical School in 2012, a day of mixed emotions: Dr. Nelson Levy flew out to New York City to watch his youngest son realize his dream of becoming a doctor, while Louisa, recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer, could not travel from Chicago.

Members of the Levy and Pataki families gather at the Levy home outside Chicago for Thanksgiving 2012.

Members of the Levy and Pataki families gather at the Levy home outside Chicago for Thanksgiving 2012.

Alli works on the final edits of her first novel, The Traitor’s Wife, on the porch of their first apartment in Chicago.

Alli works on the final edits of her first novel, The Traitor’s Wife, on the porch of their first apartment in Chicago.

The early days in the ICU. Dave is disoriented and sleeps much of the time, surrounded by family and doctors. Here, he tries to read.

The early days in the ICU. Dave is disoriented and sleeps much of the time, surrounded by family and doctors. Here, he tries to read.

Magnetic resonance image (MRI) of Dave’s brain on June 10, 2015. The clear white areas near the middle of the brain are infarcts (dead tissue) in both the right and left sides of the medial thalamus. The thalamus is the brain’s major relay center, through which run vital connections between many different parts of the brain. Dave’s brain had, in effect, two big holes of dead neurons at its center.

Magnetic resonance image (MRI) of Dave’s brain on June 10, 2015. The clear white areas near the middle of the brain are infarcts (dead tissue) in both the right and left sides of the medial thalamus. The thalamus is the brain’s major relay center, through which run vital connections between many different parts of the brain. Dave’s brain had, in effect, two big holes of dead neurons at its center.

Dave’s first memory after emerging from a state of amnesia is this day with his best college friends Peter and Russell, walking along Lake Michigan.

Dave’s first memory after emerging from a state of amnesia is this day with his best college friends Peter and Russell, walking along Lake Michigan.

Friends Margaret and Charlotte made so many trips to Target to stock Alli and Dave’s new apartment that the staff let them take a shopping cart home.

Friends Margaret and Charlotte made so many trips to Target to stock Alli and Dave’s new apartment that the staff let them take a shopping cart home.

Dave could not walk on the treadmill without safety harnesses, due to a lack of balance. He fatigued easily and was not at the level of his former athletic self, but he enjoyed physical therapy.

Dave could not walk on the treadmill without safety harnesses, due to a lack of balance. He fatigued easily and was not at the level of his former athletic self, but he enjoyed physical therapy.

“I suspect that Dave will be able to participate in the birth of your daughter.” That was what Dr. Richard Harvey told Alli, and she didn’t believe it—but it turned out to be true when Lilly arrived in October 2015.

“I suspect that Dave will be able to participate in the birth of your daughter.” That was what Dr. Richard Harvey told Alli, and she didn’t believe it—but it turned out to be true when Lilly arrived in October 2015.

Dave with Dr. Omar Lateef, advocate, friend, and surrogate family member. Alli and Dave owed Omar cheeseburgers, as they’d originally agreed, but they went out for steaks instead.

Dave with Dr. Omar Lateef, advocate, friend, and surrogate family member. Alli and Dave owed Omar cheeseburgers, as they’d originally agreed, but they went out for steaks instead.

Just over a year after the stroke, on Father’s Day 2016, Dave and Alli traveled with Lilly back to the spot where they became engaged. They found another four-leaf clover on that visit.

Just over a year after the stroke, on Father’s Day 2016, Dave and Alli traveled with Lilly back to the spot where they became engaged. They found another four-leaf clover on that visit.

Dave and Alli, still holding hands, still walking forward on the path together.

Dave and Alli, still holding hands, still walking forward on the path together.