I am walking to honor my husband Ole J. Erickson, who died of Alzheimer's in August 2011. I watched as this horrendous disease affected Ole in so many ways.  As the disease progressed, he lost his love of travel, socializing, meeting new people, actually everything that was once important to him.  My outgoing husband became truly shell of himself.  It was when he forgot my name that my heart truly broke!  Ole will always be remembered in my heart as the man I married, not the man I buried.  

This Walk is so very important for a number of reasons.  I was so involved with taking care of my Ole, that I didn't research the resources available for both the patient and the caretaker.  I have learned so much of what our Alzheimer's Association provides for both, this is truly an awesome organization.  I walk with the hope that no caretaker will ever feel alone!  I walk in the hope that a cure for this disease will be discovered.  I walk in the memory of those, like my Ole!