John was brilliant. He went to school for Mechanical Engineering and even after he went on disability, you could see signs of him using his training to build creative solutions to things all around him. He loved math and teaching other people about technical things and how things worked. He loved to work on cars and use tools I couldn't even begin to know what to do with. He took a test in order to be a ham radio operator- because of course, everyone wants a hobby they have to take a test to do! LOL.
After his twin brother died, we slowly started to notice some changes. We lived a couple hours away, so we didn't see him real often, but he started repeating stories. Then he would ask us the same questions multiple times. After a couple years, He started telling us about his twin brother dying, and would get very emotional as if it had just happened. He also would ask us if we knew he had a twin brother, and we started to recognize the fact that he had stopped using our names. Pretty soon, he no longer knew us as his family, but we were the nice people that were in the picture on their fridge. More and more often the stories became about when he was younger. Before we ended up moving them closer to us so we could help in an emergency, he was down to one main story and that was how he met Diane, his wife. He would tell us over and over again. Eventually, he got to a point when he would know her at times and other times, he would have to ask us if she was his wife. (Thankfully, he was always happy to find out that she was!!! LOL)
He was no longer able to care for himself or remember what he liked and didn't like. He became restless and would hyperfocus on his hat when he wasn't sure what to do. He had to be told when to sit down or where to walk. It wasn't how he dreamed his life would turn out.
That's why I joined the fight to end this devastating disease by creating this tribute page in John's name.
By taking this step, I'm raising funds to support the critical work of the Alzheimer's Association: providing care and support for families, advancing promising research and offering a lifeline through their free 24/7 Helpline (800.272.3900). Every dollar raised helps ensure that no one faces Alzheimer's alone.
I'd be so grateful if you would make a memorial gift in their name. There is so much work to do to continue to find answers, find ways to prevent dementia, find ways to cure it, and to create tools to help those who deal with it and those who care for someone with it.
A future without Alzheimer's is out there. Let's get there, together.
Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity.
