Nancy the person

Those of you who have been following this blog because you know Nancy already understand why so many people are committed to bringing her home.  For those of you who only know her as a “Missing Person,” we’d like to share a little bit about who she really is.  If you are reading this blog [post] you already know that Nancy is a middle-aged woman suffering with a form of Alzheimer’s disease that has robbed her of her ability to communicate and think in the sharp, clear and compassionate manner that had characterized her prior life. You have seen the portrait of the woman wearing a red paisley blouse and blue jeans in the photos on the flyer.  You know that she is 5’7” tall, has a slim build and grey/brown hair.

What you don’t know is that she is a graduate of the University of California-Davis with a Master’s Degree in computer science from UCLA and is also a certified pilot, an animal lover who almost became a vet, an experienced hiker and back packer, a devoted fan of Nine Inch Nails, a passionate conservationist and an accomplished business woman.  To her parents, George and Joan, she is the treasured only child who lights up their lives.  To me, her husband of fourteen years, she is the soul-mate that I’d never imagined being lucky enough to find.  To her many friends, she is regarded as a stalwart, intelligent, fun-loving and loyal compadre.  Though many of these outstanding characteristics have been dimmed over the last couple of years by the progressive toll of her advancing Alzheimer’s disease, she remains all of these things and we will continue to share the stories that make her as real to you as she is to us until together we have her safely at home.