Macomb Co. mother and son transition to father and daughter, together

(WJBK) - A Macomb County father and daughter have a unique bond. Eric and Corey Maison used to be mother and son -- but after transitioning they are now father and daughter.

FOX 2 first introduced you to Corey Maison in September of 2015 after her mother surprised the then-14-year-old with her first dose of hormones. Erica, her name at the time, was very supportive of Corey, who always felt she was a girl trapped inside a boy's body.

But it turns out her mother was feeling the same way, also battling gender identity from a young age.

"But I kept that to myself, because I wanted to focus on my child," Eric says.

It was over the last year Erica made the transition to Eric. Corey, who still refers to her as mom, helped give her the courage.

"It was an absolute, another weight off my shoulders," Corey says. "Because I realized there were more people out there like me. I knew what she was going through so I knew I had to help her through her journey."

Eric is still married to the same man, and together they have five children.

"I think if I didn't have the support of my husband, I don't think I would have transitioned right now in my life," says Eric. "I don't think that risking my marriage and this beautiful life I have would have been worth it right now."

"No matter what we would make it work," says Les Maison, Eric's husband. "We would find a way that, you know, the outside (of) the body didn't mean nearly as much to me as the person I fell in love with and still love to this day."

"Just to ask a heterosexual man to still love you now that you are becoming a man," Eric says. "For him to say I don't care what the outside looks like the shell is, I married the person inside, is just amazing. I feel so blessed."

Eric says their marriage and family unit has only grown stronger and they are grateful that being so open about their journeys has continued to help others.

Eric said that others have said: "'Because of you I am still alive, because of you sharing this publicly I didn't kill myself because of you I have hope.'"