I ride in memory of my husband of 44 years, Jerry.
I ride in memory of my brother-in-law, Harold
I ride in memory and honor of friends no longer here and those who are in the downward spiral of this disease.
I ride in honor of the families and caregivers slowly watching.
At the age of 22 was the first time I knew someone with memory decline that wasn't old. My Mother-in-Law often didn't know who her son was, never understood who I was and later that the baby we had was her granddaughter. In the summer of 1980 was the first time I ever heard the words Alzheimer's Disease. My father-in-law thought the doctor said she had "Old-timer's Disease". She was only in her late 50's when she started showing signs of memory loss. She passed away for it in 1992.Life goes on. In 2011 my husband Jerry decided to take an early retirement. A few years in, I started noticing something was off. Tried to ignore it until the day the school called that our grandson was sick and needed to be picked up. Jerry took the call but never when to pick him up. Didn't even remember getting the call.
Alzheimer's is once again in my world. The difference this time it wasn't someone I didn't know well. It was my Husband, the love of my life, I saw him go from being a highly intelligent top-level engineer to having the mind of a child in less than ten years. In January of 2022 he left this world due to Alzheimer's. I will miss him forever. Sadly Jerry's brother also died of dementia 3 month later.
Almost everyone I talk to now knows someone who is affected by some form of dementia with the majority being Alzheimer's, the most common type.
My daughter Renee started participating on the Ride to End ALZ in 2022, just before her Father passed away and will continue to participate. This is the first time I am getting on my bicycle and riding myself. I am so proud and excited to do so.
I am also inspired by science. In the last few years there have been many breakthroughs in Alzheimer's research. There is no shortage of ideas, just a shortage of funding dollars. This is why I am participating on the ride, a fully-supported, premier cycling event that supports the Alzheimer's Association's effort to discover methods of treatment and prevention for the disease.
With each mile I ride, I am raising funds to advance research towards the first survivor of Alzheimer's. Thank you for cheering me on.
I RIDE IN SEARCH FOR THAT FIRST SURVIVOR.
I RIDE FOR A FUTURE WITHOUT ALZHEIMER'S!
PS: Unlike many events 100% of funds raised for Ride to End ALZ Texas go to research. A corporate sponsor, HEB, along with the National Alzheimer's Association is covering event costs.
Cheer Me On!