TRANSCRIPT (more or less): Whenever I’m asked why I do what I do, one person comes to mind: My grandmother. Today is the 11th anniversary of her passing and it feels like just yesterday I was watching her mind deteriorate due to Alzheimer’s disease. Until you have experienced a close family member or friend with this disease, you can’t understand how painful it is. To see a vibrant, strong woman, not know who she is … is heartbreaking. My Abuela wasn’t the nicest woman alive but she WAS known for her incredibly strong character, her sense of self, and her independence. In her final days, she was the shell of the woman she once was and her passing was both incredibly sad and a relief to her family.
If you know someone with Alzheimer’s disease, be PATIENT. They are trapped inside and need familiar faces and LOVE. It doesn’t matter who you are or who you were… you will always recognize LOVE.
