On November 28th, 2021, I lost my mother to Alzheimer's and Lewy Body Dementia after a ten-year battle with the disease.

My parents were my best friends. Losing my father to lung cancer in 2013 shattered me, and that same year, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. It felt like the world was caving in

In October 2014, I moved my mom from New York to Florida to live with Carrie and me. At the time, only I could see the subtle changes in her. Despite her early diagnosis, Mom cherished life—she came with us everywhere, from football games to dinners, even Halloween Horror Nights! She lived for those moments, and we cherished every one of them.

But in 2017, everything changed. I’ll never forget waking to her cries from the kitchen—she had fallen, broken her femur. That moment marked the beginning of her rapid decline. Within less than a year, she was completely bedbound. 

From then until 2021, every day was a routine of care and love. My wife, Carrie, devoted herself to Mom—bathing her, feeding her, administering medication, and singing to her, even on the hardest days. For nearly three years, Carrie gave up everything to care for my mom. 

Many families don’t have the "luxury" of keeping their loved ones at home; this disease is unbearable for most to endure. But Carrie would have done it all over again a million times. Mom was her best friend, and their bond was something special.

There are no words to truly capture the devastation of watching someone you love disappear as their brain succumbs to this cruel disease. It tears apart families, leaving wounds that never fully heal.

I will never stop fighting for a cure for Alzheimer's. Please join me in the fight to rid the world of this horrific disease. Together, we can create a future where no family has to suffer the way mine did.