When I think about my Papa, I don't first think about Alzheimer's. I think about how lucky I was to grow up with a grandfather who was such a constant presence in my life.
Growing up in Michigan, Papa was there for everything. He never missed a game, a birthday, a holiday, or an important moment. He was the kind of grandfather who didn't just ask about what was going on in our lives, he was a part of it. Some of my favorite memories aren't necessarily the big moments, but simply knowing that Papa would be there, usually smiling and cheering us on.
Family meant everything to him. Before he was our Papa, he was a dad to his three daughters, Allison, Kerry, and Tracey. He raised three strong women and made sure they always knew how proud he was of them and how much he believed in them. Watching the relationships he had with his daughters showed all of us what it meant to love your family well.
When his daughters had children of their own, that love only grew. He became "Papa" to nine grandchildren, and he took that job pretty seriously. He created the kind of memories that I know all of us will carry for the rest of our lives. To us, he really was the "Best Papa Ever."
Papa also had a way of making life fun. He had the biggest laugh and an energy that made you want to be around him.
Watching someone you love battle Alzheimer's is incredibly difficult. The disease slowly changes someone who has been such a huge part of your life, but it can never take away the life they lived or the impact they had on the people who loved them.
Alzheimer's could never take away the grandfather who never missed a thing. It could never take away the dad who loved his three daughters endlessly. And it could never take away all of the love and laughter that Papa gave our family.
I am creating this page not only to remember Papa, but also to support the fight against the disease that took so much from him and from our family. I hope that by raising money and awareness in his memory, we can help move closer to a future where other families don't have to lose someone they love to Alzheimer's.
I will always be proud to be his granddaughter, and I will always be grateful for the years I got to spend with him.
We love you, Papa.
Life is good.
