Dad With Alzheimer’s Says To Leave Him In Driveway. When Garbage Man Walks Up She Collapses In Tears
- 6 years ago
Dad With Alzheimer’s Says To Leave Him In Driveway. When Garbage Man Walks Up She Collapses In Tears
‘I will never forget this moment’
Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease that robs a person of their memories and comfort and robs their loved ones of the person they once knew. While there are ups and downs along the journey, there is no denying that it is an incredibly difficult and often painful road.
Julie Bick has experienced this firsthand ever since her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2017.
“This diagnosis came 1 year after my mother’s passing and it was something I truly was not prepared for,” Julie confessed.
She decided that, no matter what, she was going to be there for her father, so the single mother packed up her things and took her two daughters, Carlee, 10, and Brantlee, 8, to live with her dad and become his caregivers.
“My father was so happy about this,” she said.
Though Alzheimer’s makes it increasingly difficult for her dad to remember certain things, one thing he has never lost is his ability to make friends wherever he goes.
“He is such a fun loving guy that makes friends with anyone he comes in contact with,” Julie explained. “One person once told me my dad is just like Norm from Cheers. Everyone knows and loves him.”
One of those friends is Harold, their garbage collector. Every Monday – garbage day – Julie’s dad goes to the curb to greet his friend.
Julie has seen firsthand how much care and kindness Harold shows – not just to her father, but to all of the people on his route.
“If we miss Harold when he comes, he will always go the extra mile to walk our cans back to our garage,” Julie said. “I hve heard other neighbors say that Harold will even knock on your door if the pickup day is around a holiday and you have forgotten to take your garbage out.”
One Monday morning, Julie was sitting on the front porch after a particularly rough night. She knew her dad could sense something was wrong.
“I knew he saw me the night before crying and it bothered him,” she said. “I’m typically a very positive, upbeat person but I simply was having a ‘feel sorry for myself’ moment.”
All of a sudden, Julie heard the garbage truck off in the distance and saw her dad heading for the driveway. She went inside to grab a tissue and, when she came back out, noticed her dad walking back toward the garage.
“I asked what he was doing and offered my help,” Julie recalled. “He said he needed a chair to sit down, as he is very unstable on his feet. I asked, ‘Where would you like the chair?’ as I was carrying it out of the garage. He requested I take it to the end of the driveway so he can visit with Harold.”
Julie did as he asked and planned to wait with him to greet Harold, but all of a sudden her dad started crying and asked her to leave.
Concerned, Julie asked what was wrong, and what her dad said next almost brought her to her knees.
“Harold is a good man. He is my friend,” he told her. “He is religious, and I would like a moment to pray with h
‘I will never forget this moment’
Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease that robs a person of their memories and comfort and robs their loved ones of the person they once knew. While there are ups and downs along the journey, there is no denying that it is an incredibly difficult and often painful road.
Julie Bick has experienced this firsthand ever since her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2017.
“This diagnosis came 1 year after my mother’s passing and it was something I truly was not prepared for,” Julie confessed.
She decided that, no matter what, she was going to be there for her father, so the single mother packed up her things and took her two daughters, Carlee, 10, and Brantlee, 8, to live with her dad and become his caregivers.
“My father was so happy about this,” she said.
Though Alzheimer’s makes it increasingly difficult for her dad to remember certain things, one thing he has never lost is his ability to make friends wherever he goes.
“He is such a fun loving guy that makes friends with anyone he comes in contact with,” Julie explained. “One person once told me my dad is just like Norm from Cheers. Everyone knows and loves him.”
One of those friends is Harold, their garbage collector. Every Monday – garbage day – Julie’s dad goes to the curb to greet his friend.
Julie has seen firsthand how much care and kindness Harold shows – not just to her father, but to all of the people on his route.
“If we miss Harold when he comes, he will always go the extra mile to walk our cans back to our garage,” Julie said. “I hve heard other neighbors say that Harold will even knock on your door if the pickup day is around a holiday and you have forgotten to take your garbage out.”
One Monday morning, Julie was sitting on the front porch after a particularly rough night. She knew her dad could sense something was wrong.
“I knew he saw me the night before crying and it bothered him,” she said. “I’m typically a very positive, upbeat person but I simply was having a ‘feel sorry for myself’ moment.”
All of a sudden, Julie heard the garbage truck off in the distance and saw her dad heading for the driveway. She went inside to grab a tissue and, when she came back out, noticed her dad walking back toward the garage.
“I asked what he was doing and offered my help,” Julie recalled. “He said he needed a chair to sit down, as he is very unstable on his feet. I asked, ‘Where would you like the chair?’ as I was carrying it out of the garage. He requested I take it to the end of the driveway so he can visit with Harold.”
Julie did as he asked and planned to wait with him to greet Harold, but all of a sudden her dad started crying and asked her to leave.
Concerned, Julie asked what was wrong, and what her dad said next almost brought her to her knees.
“Harold is a good man. He is my friend,” he told her. “He is religious, and I would like a moment to pray with h