I sponsor and volunteer with the Run2EndAlz in loving memory of my late husband Richard Watson.  When this picture was taken at the 2019 Run2EndAlz, we were only weeks from finding out Richard had behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and less than a year from him going to his forever home in Heaven. 

Rich died from Neck Cancer but he was in the later stages of bvFTD.  FTD and Alzheimer’s are 2 forms of the 10 types of Dementia.  Richard likely would have died from this horrific disease within 3 years and it was my mission to make sure every minute of the rest of his very special life be joyful – whether he was in touch with reality or not.  Richard Watson was the strongest man I ever met.  He was a wonderful father, grandfather, husband and friend.  He was generous and had a heart for serving God and others.  He was smart, talented and creative; he could build anything and fix anything.  The hallmarks of bvFTD are personality changes, apathy, and a progressive decline in socially appropriate behavior, judgment, self-control, and empathy - memory is usually relatively spared.  Richard noticed some parts of his personality change and was confused and sometimes upset by it.  

God gave me grace beyond measure to walk with Richard through this cruel disease and because of Him, the most painful year of my life was also incredibly precious in so many ways.  If you would like to know more about bvFTD, its symptoms, and the resources I relied on during the year leading up to Rich’s death, please feel free to message me.  

Christine