This will be my fourth year being a part of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. To me, the walk cannot be more personal. I’ve struggled how to even put this into words, but I’m going to do my best. Some of you already know my story and for others this will be new to you. On April 22, 2018, I received a phone call from my Aunt and I knew by the shakiness in her voice, it wasn’t going to be an easy conversation to have. My Aunt explained that my dad took his last breathe that morning. I fell to my knees in unbelief and didn’t know what to say. Where did that strong, bright blue eyed firefighter that was full of faith and always put his family first go? Over the past three years, my dad had been suffering from a form of dementia called Pick’s disease. Pick’s disease is also called frontal temporal lobe dementia, which effects the part of the brain that controls emotions, behavior, personality and language. During the progression of the disease, my father change dramatically before my families eyes. It was so crushing and felt unfair. Pick’s disease robbed me of living a full life of memories with my father. However, I do hold on confidently to the fact that I will see that loving, gentle and corny man again! I dwell now in my dad’s strong legacy. I want to make him proud and display a life that carries out his great attributes, specifically, always putting the needs of others before himself. Not all of you who read my story is impacted so greatly because maybe you don’t have a loved one who has ever gotten Alzheimer’s or don’t really know much about the disease. Statistics show according to alz.org/facts that every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops the disease and is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. Please join me and so many others in our fight to end Alzheimer’s by joining our team and walking with us on September 26th. You can sign up by going to act.alz.org and search for Dublin Retirement Village. If you would like to contribute towards my walk page please go to http://act.alz.org/site/TR?fr_id=14681&pg=personal&px=10737081

Thank you for joining me as we fight this horrible disease!