For eleven years, Eleni and her family have lived with Frontotemporal Dementia. More than $2 million of her retirement savings has been consumed by the cost of her care, and her husband John has depleted much of his own retirement savings as well. After carrying this burden privately for more than a decade, John and their daughter Angelina now need our help.

Eleni is in her eleventh year of early-onset Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), a devastating neurological disease that progressively takes away speech, mobility, independence and the ability to perform everyday tasks most of us take for granted.

FTD has taken much from Eleni, but it has not changed who she is at her core.

She remains the kind, loving and caring woman her family has always known. Although she has largely lost her ability to speak, she communicates through her expressions, recognizes John, Angelina and the caregivers closest to her, and still shows affection and concern for those around her.

Through every stage of this disease, John and Angelina have done everything possible to preserve Eleni's safety, dignity and quality of life.

Eleni now lives in a memory care center close to the family's home in Wilmette, Illinois. To ensure that she receives the individual attention her advancing condition requires, the family also pays for private caregivers who have become an essential part of her daily care.

With their help, Eleni can still enjoy outings when she is able, familiar Greek foods and music, and precious time at home with her family.

John visits constantly—holding her hand, helping her eat, coloring and doing word searches with her, playing the Greek music and videos she loves, and bringing her favorite foods.

On one particularly special Valentine's Day, Eleni was able to spend hours at home. Watching her move through the familiar rooms again, John wrote something that captures what these moments mean to their family:

"Without Eleni we live in a house. With Eleni it is a home."

In November 2025, the family nearly lost her.

On Thanksgiving morning, Eleni suffered a severe pulmonary embolism. Despite the seriousness of her condition, she survived. Her remarkable determination carried her through, but FTD has continued its progression. Her speech is now extremely limited, walking has become increasingly difficult, and she sometimes requires a wheelchair.

Eleven Years of Care Have Taken an Enormous Financial Toll

Over the course of Eleni's illness, more than $2 million of her retirement savings has been exhausted paying for her care.

When those resources ran out, John began drawing heavily from his own retirement savings to continue providing for her. Those funds are now being depleted as well.

The family is approaching a financial breaking point and faces the possibility of bankruptcy simply to maintain the care Eleni needs.

This is why, after more than a decade of managing these extraordinary costs themselves, they are finally asking for help.

John has contributed to GoFundMe campaigns for others over the years and never imagined his family would someday need one of their own. Asking for help does not come easily. But the cost of long-term dementia care has reached a point that love, determination and a lifetime of careful financial planning simply cannot overcome.

Our goal is to ensure that financial exhaustion does not determine the quality of Eleni's remaining care.

Funds raised will go directly toward Eleni's ongoing needs, including:

* Memory care expenses

* Private caregivers providing essential one-on-one assistance

* Medical, nursing and personal-care needs

* Transportation, activities and other expenses that help preserve Eleni's comfort, engagement and quality of life

Any contribution, regardless of amount, will help relieve the extraordinary financial pressure facing this family and allow them to remain focused on what matters most: caring for Eleni.

If you aren't able to contribute financially, please share this campaign. Reaching someone else who may be able to help can make an enormous difference. Prayers, meals, time, messages and simple expressions of friendship are also deeply appreciated.

Above everything else, this campaign is about Eleni.

For eleven years, John and Angelina have stood beside her through every stage of this cruel disease. They have given their time, their savings and an immeasurable part of themselves to make certain she remains safe, cared for and surrounded by love.

They carried this burden themselves for as long as they possibly could.

Now we're asking for your help carrying it with them.

Please donate if you can, share Eleni's story, and keep Eleni, John and Angelina in your hearts.

With profound gratitude,

Family and Friends of Eleni