Over the course of the last year, I’ve learned what it takes to support someone that’s impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and it’s been a hard mountain to climb.
When my mother-in-law was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in the fall of 2024, it felt like the ground shifted beneath us. There was so much uncertainty, and a quiet, constant fear about what was coming. My wife met it head-on. She began attending a weekly support group, determined to understand what to expect and how to prepare for what lies ahead.
I’ve watched her choose courage over avoidance, asking the hard questions and facing realities some would rather look away from. My role has been different. I’ve tried to be the steady place, to listen, to hold her when it’s heavy, to offer small distractions from what has suddenly become our new normal.
We’re learning to lean into the little moments when we’re all connected. In situations like this, there’s a powerful pull to focus on how things used to be instead of how they are now, and that tension is unspeakably hard. Grief shows up in quiet ways. A shorter fuse. Feelings that linger longer than they should. Small frustrations that snowball. I’ve learned that what matters most is catching yourself in those moments and choosing softness anyway.
We’re trying to be gentle with each other, even as we ask sharper, more frightening questions about the future.
For me, there’s a particular fear in Alzheimer’s that’s hard to name: the fear of being forgotten by the people you love most. The idea that one day you might look into someone’s eyes and not see recognition staring back. When that fear rises, I respond the only way I know how, by loving harder in every moment I’m given.
And this is one of those moments.
Working at GoFundMe, I also know that small dollar donations, amounts like $5, $15, $25, are down year over year for most all charities.
When we think about the potential for regenerative medicine, or breakthrough treatments, there isn’t an organization that’s better positioned to lead than the Alzheimer’s Association.
More than seven million of all Americans, or an estimated 7.2 million Americans older than 65, have Alzheimer's disease; and some studies expect this number to rise. Learning about Alzheimer’s and Dementia is the very first step you can take in learning how to support a loved one, a friend, a neighbor.
Join me and make a small dollar donation and commit to learning about the work that Alzheimer’s Association is doing for all of us.
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