The Angels Who Showed Up
Four years ago, on October 24, I lost my dad, Arthur.
Dad lived with Alzheimer's, but that disease never defined him. He was a teaser, a joker, and someone who loved being around people.
When someone asked him what he wanted most, he said something I'll never forget:
“I don't need people to care for me. I need a buddy to hang out with.”
That was Dad. Even through the challenges, he still wanted to enjoy life.
During his journey, some incredible people showed up for our family when we needed them most. I started calling them Arthur's Angels while Dad was still with us.
That name has stayed with me. I continue to walk in his honor at the Alzheimer's Walk each year, alongside the angels who join me.
Dad believed in holistic health, too. He used to joke that I was “kind of like a doctor.”
Not exactly, Dad.
But he knew I believed in looking at the whole picture and being willing to think outside the box.
And his journey made something even clearer to me:
I don't want to wait until it's too late to live well and truly live.
Because sometimes we're so busy working, caring for others, and getting through each day that we forget to enjoy the life we're working so hard for.
I don't want that for myself. And I don't want that for you.
