Sisters with Alzheimer's Reunited in Heartwarming Video After 15 Years Apart
Of all the diseases that afflict us as we age, Alzheimer’s has to rank among the worst. Sure, illnesses such as heart disease and cancer have a dramatic weight that makes them hard to ignore.
But there’s something about the slow, insidious creep of dementia that sends chills racing up and down one’s spine. The neurological condition not only takes your life, it also gradually takes away your identity, robbing you of defining events in your past.
Sometimes, though, even those with the worst cases of Alzheimer’s can surprise us. Just consider what happened to Louise Gover.
The 39-year-old Bristol, England, resident is a Day Club Manager at Alzheimer’s Support, a British nonprofit that helps individuals with dementia continue to enjoy their lives.
Gover knows as much personally about the disease as she does professionally. Her grandmother, 88-year-old Ann Patrick, suffers from Alzheimer’s.
While in the course of her daily routine, Gover met Marguerita Wilson, a 79-year-old with a more advanced form of dementia. As the two women talked, Gover came to a startling realization: They were related.
It turned out that Wilson and Patrick were sisters, and their declining physical and mental health had separated them some 15 years ago. So Gover decided to rectify the situation.
She spoke to Wilson’s daughter and arranged a reunion between the pair. The end result? A meeting every bit as touching as it was heartbreaking.
In the video, Wilson obviously had difficulty recognizing the people around her. In fact, she peered offscreen at Gover and another person, saying, “You two look familiar somehow.”
“I’ve met you before at the Mill Street club,” Gover replied. But Wilson had no problem understanding who stood before her.
She clutched Patrick’s hands. Then she engulfed her in a massive hug.
“It’s been some time,” she sobbed. “You’ve got the smile now.”
Indeed, everyone did. And though Patrick’s form of the disease causes her to struggle with the basis of language, everyone could tell her obvious affection for her sibling.
She traced the skin of Wilson’s hands with her fingers and laid a gentle touch on her face. Both women shared more than a few laughs upon seeing the other.
A progressive disease, Alzheimer’s does more than affect an individual’s ability to communicate. It also makes it difficult for him to interact with his surroundings.
Yet Gover wants people to know that the disease doesn’t steal all joy from a person. “Unfortunately, a lot of the things people read and see about dementia are negative,” she told The Mirror.
“Of course, it is a horrible condition, but people with dementia can still lead productive lives and enjoy themselves. I wanted to show people just how positive interaction with family and stimulation can be.”
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