Dad passed today from Alzheimer's Disease

Monday 29th Dec

Early this morning, my dad passed peacefully after a long, heartbreaking battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Before the disease slowly took pieces of him, he was always there. He never missed a moment, from my cheerleading days in high school to endless baseball, softball, basketball, and football games. He sat through every dance recital, every Nutcracker performance, and more horse shows than I can count. If it mattered to me or to our family, he was in the stands, usually front, center, and loud.

He loved his family fiercely, but nothing filled him with more pride than being Popi. James was named for him, and Popi’s love of sports left such a deep mark that it became James’s career goal, pursuing Sports Broadcasting and Business at Quinnipiac University because of Popi’s influence. And Mads, the moment she was born, she quickly and unapologetically became his favorite little girl, surpassing me immediately. I accepted this (eventually).

He passed down his devotion to the New York Yankees without question, often reminiscing about the golden days of Berra, Mantle, and DiMaggio. Football, however, didn’t go according to plan. He was a lifelong Giants fan, but things went pear-shaped with our family becoming long-suffering Jets fans. He enjoyed family games of Yahtzee and Monopoly where he only wanted the “choo-choos” and no other property. 

His humor was unmatched. His jokes, affectionately called “Popi jokes” were legendary, and far worse than dad jokes which he delivered with a grin. He once stole my aunt Susan’s car and entered it into a demolition derby, a story he recalled with pride until the very end. And if you ever attended a summer party at 1803, you were lucky enough to witness his unforgettable solo synchronized swimming performances.

He loved quoting Yogi Berra, often reminding us, “If you come to a fork in the road, take it.” And he believed deeply in Jimmy V’s words, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” From the very beginning, he told us he was going to “beat this thing.” And like Jimmy V, he fought with everything he had. In the end, the disease won — but his courage, his fight, and his spirit never did.

Alzheimer’s took so much from him, but it never took his love, his humor, or the way he lifted everyone around him. He was my steady presence, my biggest supporter, my quiet strength, the wind beneath my wings.It seems most fitting that this is the time to remember one of his greatest lines during difficult times, “It takes a dark night for the stars to shine.”

If you’re able, please consider honoring my dad by supporting Alzheimer’s research and families affected by this disease: https://events.alz.org/fundraisers/sarahbrzozowy/in-honor-of-jim-woerz

I will remember for you. I love you, Dad. Always. 

Alzheimer’s doesn’t just steal memories, it steals the person, inch by inch, right in front of your eyes, while their body stays. You watch someone you love disappear in slow motion, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. We mourned him over and over again, grieving losses no one prepares you for, clinging to brief flashes of recognition, shared laughter, or a familiar look in his eyes, knowing they might not come again. Loving him through Alzheimer’s was devastating, exhausting, and profoundly unfair. It is a kind of heartbreak that never fully lets go, and I pray every single day that a cure is found so no other family ever has to endure the devastation this cruel disease leaves behind.

---