My great-grandfather, Francisco Sepulveda, who we all lovingly called "Viejo," was there since the day I was born. Growing up, he always found ways to make me laugh. When I was a baby, he would swing me in blankets, and as I got bigger, he’d do silly thin
Although I couldn't organize a walk for my great-grandfather this year, I still wanted to do something special for his birthday to fight the disease that took him from us. Thank you so much for your continued support of my fundraising efforts and for standing by our family.Francisco Sepulveda, who we all lovingly called "Viejo," was there since the day I was born. Growing up, he always found ways to make me laugh by swinging me in blankets or doing silly things. He had an incredibly calm, kind demeanor, and he absolutely loved music.
As Viejo got older and the Alzheimer's progressed, I became the one keeping an eye on him. I will never forget the day he got lost from the family and I found him sitting alone in the dark basement. From then on, whenever we traveled, I always held his hand. Some of my favorite memories are simply driving around with my mom to look at Christmas lights with him.
Alzheimer's is a tough disease as you watch someone change, but Viejo’s love never changed. Whenever he saw me, he put a big smile on his face. During his clearer moments in between, he would sometimes cry because he knew that one day he would have to leave us. When he passed, it was just like his life, completely peaceful and calm. It was a true honor to know him.