Kelley Irwin

One day in June (2024), Mom said she wanted to ride on a Sea-Doo. What?

It had been 19 months since we received a formal medical diagnosis of dementia for my Dad.

I couldn’t tell the story of Dad without including Mom. They were a team from the day they met in 1959. 4 months later they were married. They had 3 children over the next 4 years. Dad enjoyed every day he lived including 65 incredible years with Mom, the love of his life. Anyone who met my parents knew they were aligned on everything. As kids, we understood there was no chance to pit Mom against Dad, no decision they disagreed on. There was “no daylight” between them.

They had many adventures and never slowed down. After retiring, they bought a business and ran it together for several years. In their 70’s, they tried pickleball and windsurfing, they golfed and played bridge weekly, and attended The Masters and The Kentucky Derby. They travelled to every state in the US and dozens of countries.

As Dad’s dementia progressed, Mom continued to find daily activities to keep him engaged based on his ability at the time. His decline was not linear so this was a challenge and she was up to it.

A few times, though, she just wanted a break to try something new. So this request caught me off guard but I was not surprised. She wanted to go on a Sea-Doo. We jumped in the car, headed for the ocean, and for 30 blissful minutes, Mom was free of all thoughts but the warm air and the wind.

For everyone who has been kind and asked how Mom is doing, she’s heartbroken and sad. But, she’s going to be okay.

That’s my Mom.