For me, the most magical part about the 2019 Jacksonville Walk To End Alzheimer’s was the overwhelming feeling of hope that poured from the hearts of the participants. This is a disease that currently affects nearly 6 million people in this country and well over twice as many caregivers. And it has no real effective treatment or cure.
But being downtown in Hemming Park today, surrounded by swirling flowers in many colors, and piles of purple people hugging, high-fiving, honoring those we love who are here or in Heaven, I felt so much hope for the first time in a long time. When the same disease has caused you to only ever lose people you love in your life, it becomes harder and harder to have hope that things will ever be different for those who have also been diagnosed.
Today at the ceremony though, watching our two sons, who have lost their great-grandmother and one of their close friends to Alzheimer’s, holding the white flower symbolizing the Hope for the First Survivor, I genuinely began to believe that there will be a day without this disease.
I haven’t finished putting in the cash that was donated today to our Moving Forward For Mitzi team account. When I do, we will have raised $20,027 in Mitzi’s honor. I have to say, it was pretty overwhelming for me to see that number. My prayer, if you will join with me, is that every one of those very special dollars will be the ones that make the greatest impact toward finding a cure.
Thank you so very much to everyone who came to walk today, including all of you who supported the team. To the Walk Committee who have been so wonderful in honoring her. To everyone who shared Mitzi’s story and continue to do so…thank you for not allowing Alzheimer’s to erase the memory of this amazing woman. ????
