Woman in New Jersey gay marriage case has Lou Gehrig's disease

Marilyn Maneely, who with her partner, Diane Marini, has been one of the seven couples involved in Lambda Legal's marriage-equality court battle in New Jersey, has been stricken with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a severe neurodegenerative condition also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, according to an emotion-laden e-mail message from Steven Goldstein, chairman of the gay rights group Garden State Equality. "Maneely was once one of the most vibrant people on the face of the earth, bursting with off-the-charts verve that changed the complexion of a room from the moment she'd enter it," Goldstein said. "From just a few months ago through today, Marilyn's physical condition has debilitated at a pace beyond what you can visualize." Marini, 52, and Maneely, a 55-year-old nurse, live in Haddonfield in South Jersey. According to Goldstein, Marini has relinquished her business to care for her ailing partner, and a group of close friends have organized a fund-raiser on their behalf in Cherry Hill on April 23. "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Goldstein asked. "None of us have the answer. But each of us has the ability to help." The couple's lawsuit seeking to legalize same-sex marriage in New Jersey is being considered by the state appellate court.