In Honor of Mom - Bryan Brown
By Matthew Calkins
Climbing Everest for Mom — and for the Millions Fighting Alzheimer’s
Tribute Updates
The Beginning
Sunday 30th Nov
What is required for a man to be his mother’s son? Pray it is not the memory of birth, for neither she nor I can claim to recall the occasion. But I do remember the love, as I continue a quixotic endeavor to reconcile it. I have searched in vain for a cure to her Alzheimer’s, discovering instead the powerful defenses we can build ourselves as we wait for a cure to be found. I am engaged in a call to action of body, mind, and spirit to confront this horrible disease, and I hope you’ll join me.
I remember the love. I remember being alone on the ground next to my twisted bike and broken arm when she hoisted me up and carried me barefoot over scrubland to the safety of home. I remember when she suffered a near-severed big toe in a household accident while alone, yet somehow managed her sedan’s three-pedal manual transmission—blood pooling in the footwell—to pick up my brother and me from soccer practice before heading to the ER. She didn’t want a late pickup to cause fear. I remember being gutted by unrequited love when she met me with gentle wisdom, musing, “If she’s drawn to someone you wouldn’t want to be, you don’t want to be the one she chose.” Always providing steadfast strength, love, and advice, often when I was at my worst and deserved it the least.
Then her memory began to fade. We searched desperately for answers, joining countless others, believing that love and effort could somehow undo what was happening. In that search, I found something I never expected — not a cure, but the powerful defenses we can build while we wait for one. I call them the Triad of Life: engaging the body, mind, and spirit. Only later did I realize that the life Greta and I were building, both at home and in the mountains, already followed the same Triad of Life that would one day help me understand my mother’s disease.
Keep it simple. When Greta and I became parents, we wanted our guidance to rise above endless rules and lectures. So we built our family around three simple roots: grow body, mind, and spirit. From that, every bit of encouragement and discipline grows, imperfect as all love must be. We found ourselves living these principles long before we named them. Perhaps our family lives this way as the best gratitude we can muster—an outward expression of appreciation for this life. Live fully. Those same habits carry beyond our home into the high places that shape me as deeply as family.
I am a mountaineer. Growing up in Colorado, the Rockies were my playground. First it was camping and ski trips with my dad; later it was the deeper pull of climbing itself. Greta and I began exploring together, and over the years I’ve stood on peaks such as Denali, Aconcagua, Mont Blanc, and Carstensz Pyramid, each summit revealing more about endurance, humility, and gratitude. What the mountains have always taught me is what dementia research now affirms: the Triad of Life isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. The physical strain of the climb, the mental clarity required to plan and navigate in thin air, and the deep connection to a rope team—literally trusting your life to the person beside you—mirror the same elements that keep our minds strong.
What better way to put those elements to the test than to depend on them completely—body, mind, and spirit—on the highest mountain on earth, all in the fight against Alzheimer’s? I’ve chosen to dedicate my next climb to raising awareness for this cause. In April 2026, I plan to climb the historic North Route of Everest, not only for the summit but to live the Triad of Life and inspire others to do the same. My ask is simple: strengthen your Triad—and honor those we love not just in memory, but in the way we choose to live. If you feel moved to help, your support of the Alzheimer’s Association would mean the world.
I joined the fight against Alzheimer’s by creating this fundraising page, and I’m raising money to support the care, support, and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. The number of people living with Alzheimer’s is growing quickly. More than 7 million Americans are living with the disease today, and nearly 12 million unpaid caregivers are supporting them. Almost all of us know someone affected. With nearly 13 million Americans projected to develop Alzheimer’s by 2050, I decided it was time to do my part to help change the trajectory of this devastating disease.
Thank you for walking alongside me in this effort.
