Cari Searcy and Kimberly McKeand, the Mobile, Alabama couple that sued the state to recognize their 2008 wedding in California as legitimate and legal is seeking help to pay for the $40,000 in legal fees they have accumulated fighting the discriminatory ban, AL.com reports:

"The two women in Mobile are the bravest two women I've ever known," [Alabama Rep. Patricia Todd, D-Birmingham] said. "They've been through a lot, and they will continue to go through a lot, and we can never forget them."

Todd said Searcy and McKeand have "incurred a great debt over legal fees" in their eight-year fight to have their California marriage recognized. She urged attendees to donate to the couple at their website, IAmAParent.com.

[Living in Limbo Executive Director Lara] Embry said Searcy and McKeand are $40,000 in legal debt "because they fought this fight for a long time in Alabama while we were not considered low-hanging fruit to national organizations who would then pitch in and help with that fight."

"If you want to send someone a wedding gift, maybe make it honor of Cari and Kim, and make a donation to help them, to help pay for marriage equality in Alabama," Embry said. "Because they got the bill."

Searcy and McKeand are currently making monthly payments on what they owe but note that the "costs are adding up faster than we can keep up with."

While Alabama's ban on same-sex marriage was struck down late last week, the ruling in the case was stayed just hours before it was set to take effect. Searcy and McKeand's legal battle is likely to be ongoing.

You can donate to help Searcy and McKeand's legal fight by going to to their website HERE.