March 1, 2025

There were 2 events tonight that in some way John was a part of. First there was a Servite dinner. John's senior picture was displayed so he could be there in some way. He would have loved that. The second was the Alzheimer's Association Inspiration ALZ Gala. I was invited to participate at a Caregivers table sponsored by a donor. Lots of money was raised for the Alzheimer's Association. It's an incredible organization that suppports those living with the disease, those that are caring for people with the disease, and those who are committed to research and finding a cure for the disease. For me, the highlight of the evening was Jay Allen performing his song "Blank Stares". I became aware of the song a few years ago. It's about his mom, who, like John, had Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease. The song begins with a voicemail message from her that trails off. He sings about the glimpses of her that he sees between her blank stares. It's a beautiful song that had the place in tears. A definite highpoint of the evening.