to ▁be ▁reun ited ▁with ▁his ▁same ▁sex ▁sp ouse ▁when ▁the ▁United ▁States ' ▁Def ense ▁of ▁Mar riage ▁Act ▁( DO MA ) ▁separated ▁them . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁ ▁Tim ▁C oco ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Lawrence , ▁Massachusetts , ▁to ▁Joseph , ▁owner ▁of ▁a ▁pl umb ing ▁and ▁he ating ▁company , ▁and ▁An nie , ▁a ▁hom em aker . ▁ ▁C oco ▁is ▁a ▁life - long ▁Ha ver hill , ▁Massachusetts ▁resident . ▁He ▁attended ▁Ha ver hill ▁Public ▁School s ▁and ▁graduated ▁from ▁Ha ver hill ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁He ▁received ▁his ▁associate ▁degree ▁from ▁Northern ▁Es sex ▁Community ▁College , ▁Ha ver hill , ▁Mass ., ▁and ▁Bach elor ' s ▁from ▁Les ley ▁University , ▁Cambridge , ▁Massachusetts . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 7 , ▁C oco ▁became ▁an ▁intern ▁at ▁WH AV ▁Broadcast ing ▁Co ., ▁Ha ver hill , ▁owner ▁and ▁operator ▁of ▁WH AV ▁( AM ) ▁and ▁then - WH AV - FM . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁high ▁school , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁full - time ▁employee ▁of ▁the ▁news ▁department . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁staff ▁writer ▁for ▁the ▁S cri pp s ▁League ▁New sp apers , ▁Inc .- owned ▁Ha ver hill ▁Gazette . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁then - O tt away ▁New sp apers , ▁Inc