GIVING BACK

Growing up, my sister and I spent a good part of every summer with my grandparents in Pittsburgh, PA.

I remember my grandfather as a bright, happy, and active man. He played golf every Monday afternoon, was generous and loving to all eight of his grandchildren and was very involved with his church.

Several years ago, his memory started declining. It began with him not being able to recall the name of someone from church, but he always knew who I was and that I owned my own business. And he would always be sure to ask me how business was going.

The decline since 2019, however, has been significant.

In the spring of 2021, he moved in with my parents because he could no longer live on his own. He still remembered me but no longer could recall what I did for a living. Most days he didn’t realize that my mom was his daughter.

He turned 92 in October of 2021. Physically, he was doing quite well for his age, but his memory is no longer what it used to be. My mom and I went to visit him on his birthday and he didn’t know anything about it being a significant day.

It’s a heartbreaking experience to watch the man I’ve admired all my life turn into someone I don’t recognize.

In May of 2022, Pappy lost his battle with Alzheimer's. Although, the Pappy we knew has been gone for many years, it's still hard to lose him. He's in a better place and now can rest easy.

It is because of him that I joined the Alzheimer’s Association as a volunteer. I would love to be part of a world where there is a cure for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia so no one else has to watch their loved ones slip away from them.