Jefferson City community shares personal stories of how Alzheimer’s has changed their lives
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Jefferson City resident Joey O'Connor lost his mother Betty Jean O'Connor on March 11. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease two years ago.
"She was always the life of the party," O'Connor said. "She was the one laughing the most and so everyone even through her funeral just kept talking about her smile."
O'Connor is one of the many people in the Jefferson City area who have been affected by Alzheimer's. He shared his mom's story with ABC 17 News ahead of Jefferson City's Walk to End Alzheimer's.
O'Connor said his mother's journey started about five years ago when the family started noticing her forgetting things. He said it was difficult to watch.
"You see them going through this disease, but they don't realize they're going through it," O'Connor said.
O'Connor described the toll the disease took, not only on his mother but his family as well.
"It's really tough. It's hard to see them struggle because you know inside they want to know who you are and talk to you and have that relationship," O'Connor said. "That's the most difficult part."
Fellow Jefferson City man Joe Pallikkathayil lost his father two years ago from complications of dementia.
"While I do what I do in memory of him, I also do what I do and hope for my daughter that she won't lose me the way I lost him," Pallikkathayil said.
Pallikkathayil works for the Alzheimer's Association and is the walk manager for the Lake of the Ozarks, Phelps County and Jefferson City walks.
One Zumba Crew member from the Z-Hype Crew who plans to be at the Jefferson City Walk on Sunday described her group's part in the event.
"We provide all the fun of the music because we know with Alzheimer's patients ... Alzheimer's brains really do really great when they hear music," Jennifer Su said.
Su serves as a physician in Jefferson City and is a part of the Z-Hype Crew which kicks off the warm-ups at some Mid-Missouri Alzheimer's Association Walks.
"From a knowledge perspective, we really want people to move like to prevent any kind of dementia," Su said. "You really keep the body moving."
Moving is exactly what Joey plans to be doing on Sunday while walking in honor of his mom.
"I think it is something I've felt a lot of good just in my heart as I've been doing it," O'Connor said. "So I think it will be something I do annually."
O'Connor said his mother always wanted him to have short hair so that when he reached his goal for the walk, he would cut 10 inches off and donate it.
"She constantly was asking me to get a hair cut and she said 'it's time, it's time'," O'Connor said. "So it just kind of made sense to do this for her and because of her disease and to hopefully help someone else out who needs some hair."
O'Connor cut 10 inches of his hair Friday afternoon to fulfill his mother's wish. His plans to donate his hair as well.
At last check, O'Connor has raised over $2,800 for the Jefferson City Walk.
Join ABC 17 News at the Jefferson City Walk to End Alzheimer's on Oct. 15 at Memorial Park. Last year, the Jefferson City Walk broke its record and raised nearly $134,000. This year, the walk has a goal of raising $140,000.
