Hamilton couple’s story, told in Patrice: The Movie, sparks national conversation

Patrice Jetter and Garry Wickham are very much in love.

The couple live in Hamilton and have been together for seven years, though they have known each other for more than 35 years. Both are disabled. Both have cerebral palsy. And both rely on Social Security benefits for their disabilities.

Jetter and Wickham would love nothing more than to get engaged and married. But they can’t tie the knot—or even move in together—because doing so would likely cause them to lose some or all of their Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and health insurance due to what is commonly known as the “marriage penalty.”

Patrice: The Movie begins by exploring why Jetter and Wickham can’t be together in the traditional sense. The documentary was filmed over the course of three years.

Ted Passon is the film’s executive producer, director, and a longtime friend of Jetter. They met when Passon had just graduated from college and was directing his first music video. He was introduced to Jetter by her niece, singer-songwriter Kimya Dawson, and the two quickly became close friends. In 2021, Jetter appeared in the Netflix series Worn Stories, created by one of the film’s producers, Emily Spivack, a project Passon directed.

From the time Passon got to know Jetter, he said he was impressed by her presence and creativity.

“Patricia has this amazing charisma, this incredible energy—you just want to be around her,” he said. “She’s a true artist. Everything she does is art, from the clothes she wears to the way she lives her life. She’s always creating. I’m impressed by her raw talent and her outlook on life. She has that certain spark.”

When Passon worked with Jetter on Worn Stories, he noticed how comfortable she was on camera.

“She had a lot of fun,” he said. “Her episode was the most popular of the entire series. It’s not just me who thinks she’s awesome—other people do, too. People enjoy watching her.”

Shortly before filming began, Wickham proposed to Jetter.

“That’s a big thing suddenly happening in your life—let’s follow that,” Passon said.

But once it became clear that Jetter and Wickham could not marry without serious consequences, that reality became the film’s central story. At the time, Wickham lived in Princeton, about 25 minutes away from Jetter, and transportation is a major challenge for many people with disabilities. Jetter walks with a crutch and is able to drive, but Wickham uses a wheelchair.

Since the film wrapped, Wickham was able to get on a waiting list and eventually moved into the same apartment complex as Jetter in Hamilton.

“Now he’s across the street from her,” Passon said. “It’s the best thing for them.”

Passon explained that advocates commonly refer to this issue as the “disabled marriage penalty.”

“A lot of disabled people are unable to get married,” he said. “If a married person becomes disabled, they may even be forced to divorce in order to collect benefits. Activists are trying to change this. Bills have been written, but there hasn’t been enough support or publicity.”

Through their work with the Special Olympics, Passon and Jetter were invited to a dinner with former President Joe Biden. Passon said Biden mentioned the issue in a speech; however, momentum stalled after the most recent presidential election.

“A lot of disabled people and people on Medicaid are going to die,” Passon said. “States are already feeling the pinch.”

Patrice: The Movie premiered on Hulu in 2024. A year later, it won an Emmy for Merit in Documentary Filmmaking.

“It gave the film a second life,” Passon said. “And it’s still on Hulu.”

Jetter said she and Passon never expected the film to gain such national recognition.

“When we got nominated, we were in the same category as Céline Dion,” she said. “Usually, when you’re an unknown going up against a big name, the big name wins. We went to L.A. knowing we probably wouldn’t win—but we dressed up, enjoyed the moment, and met some celebrities.”

Despite the challenges she continues to face, Jetter said she feels she has a happy ending because she is with the person she loves.

“Legally, if I wanted a happy ending, I don’t see that happening with this administration,” she said.

Still, Jetter offers words of encouragement—especially to others with disabilities.

“All I want to tell people is not to give up,” she said. “Try to stay positive. That’s hard, even for me sometimes. We can’t lose hope. When life gives you hurdles, you build a bigger map.”

Now settled in Hamilton, Jetter says she feels at home.

“I’m close to everything,” she said. “I even got a crossing guard job here.”

With Wickham living in the same complex, the future feels brighter.

“Garry has a great personality. He has a big heart. He’s just everything,” Jetter said. “If I could clone him, every woman would be very happy.”

Passon added, “We should all find someone who looks at us the way Garry looks at Patrice.”

To learn more about Patrice: The Movie, visit patricethemovie.com.