Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease, both for those who are suffering from it and those witnessing the slow cognitive demise of someone they love. Yet Bob Pettit, who lives in Mooresville, North Carolina, got a little creative to help his wife Betty remember who he was as she deals with end-stage Alzheimer’s.
The loving husband, taking his wedding vows to heart, had a photo of the couple on their wedding day printed onto an apron. Then, each morning when he makes breakfast for his wife, she could get a reminder that she is married to him.
In a video shared on YouTube by Happily News, the couple, who were both 85 at the time of the post, can be seen having a little morning banter, along with their son Joshua, 48. And with a little prompting, Betty looks at the photo and lights up as she remembers that Bob is in fact her husband, stating, “He’s my guy!”
It’s easy to see that for Bob the realization that his wife recognizes him — even if it’s only momentarily — and that she affirms that still likes him fills him with joy. As he says on the video: “That makes me really feel good.”
The heartwarming video was appreciated by many watching their own loved ones suffering from neurodegenerative disorders. And as Joshua explained, the family shared their tender interactions with the world so others can see “we can have moments of joy even in hard times.”
And today we celebrate...