What does it mean to be so close with someone that they´ re like family, and what would you do to make sure that person was safe and happy? That´ s what Amanda and Alex Constantine contemplated in October 2020, when their good friend Tony Edmonds, 29, lost his mom to multiple health complications. Tony is autistic and requires assistance with daily life — he does´ t drive or cook. He also needs an advocate to represent him when he´ s faced with bigger decisions like how to spend his money, where to live and work and what activities would be healthy for him.
Alex and Amanda, who had known Tony for years, grappled with how they could play a role in his future. They knew his dad had died when Tony was in high school, and he had no siblings. “Tony’s mom was sick for a while,” says Alex. “We knew there wasn’t a really clear plan. We cared very deeply for Tony and wanted him to be in a good
