About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 2020)
Shannon Casas Editor in Chief | 770-718-3417 | life@gainesvilletimes.com She (Times gainesvilletimes.com Midweek Edition - Sept. 30 - Oct. 1,2020 1 think of how brave they are’ 75-year-old Gainesville resident raises awareness for Alzheimer's research, wife BY KELSEY PODO kpodo@gainesvilletimes.com As he swam, cycled and ran in the Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon and AquaBike event Sept. 27, Bill Wittel of Gainesville said one per son was on his mind — his wife, Ellen. The 75-year-old said he had never participated in an athletic event before and wanted to accom plish the feat to bring awareness to Alzheimer’s, a disease his wife faces every single day. When Bill’s 76-year-old wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014, he said their lives took a drastic turn. “Your whole world changes,” he said. “Your world becomes smaller and smaller until it’s basi cally in your home. ” Looking back, Bill said he noticed the signs of his partner’s beginnings with Alzheimer’s, which stemmed back to her time working for The Norton Agency in Gainesville. He said she would come home stressed and even go into work on Saturdays. “What I didn’t realize is that she was doing her job and covering up her mistakes,” Bill recounted. “It was a very stressful time.” Bill said Ellen is now in the later stages of Alzheimer’s and is com pletely immobile; however, he said music has remained an essen tial piece for stimulating her mind and bringing her peace. Every day, Bill plays her favorite song, “Key Largo” by Bertie Higgins, which he said takes them back to their times walking along the beach. “Music has been an important part of our lives,” he said. “We keep the music going. Every night we’d get in bed and watch You Tube videos of bands we used to love in our college days.” For two years, Bill said Ellen lived in Gardens of Gainesville’s memory care facility, and recently returned home Sept. 9. Before the pandemic, he would visit her every day, but until recently, he said he could only communicate with her behind a window. Since she has moved back home, Bill said his wife has miraculously started to thrive again. “It’s like a rebirth,” he said. “She’s gained weight. She’s mov ing and holding a cup in her hand, which she couldn’t do before. She’s got total stimulation.” Bill said Ellen was able to return home thanks to her “dream team,” a group of caretakers he hired to care for her around the clock. He said their daughter, Loo Hicks, also contributes to the 24/7 care. “I really couldn’t do it without them,” he said. “It really takes a team to make this happen. It’s much better when you have a good loving family that understands what their role is and can really work together.” Physically and spiritually fit Since Ellen’s diagnosis in 2014, Bill said he has stuck with the mantra of being “physically and spiritually fit” to persevere along their journey. In addition to staying active at the First Baptist Church of Gainesville on Green Street, he used to walk three miles every day with his wife, from their home, past the square and around Brenau University’s campus. Photos by KELSEY PODO I The Times Bill Wittel, 75-year-old Gainesville resident, completed the Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon and AquaBike event on Sept. 27, to not only honor his wife Ellen, who has Alzheimer’s, but to bring awareness to the disease. Above left, right: Wittel, completed the Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon and AquaBike on Sept. 27, with his friend and trainer, Alicia Hunt, left, to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s. Walk to End Alzheimer’s Gainesville What: Fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care, support and research led by the Alzheimer’s Association and held nationwide When: 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 Where: Different locations around Gainesville Find a walk near you: act.alz.org For Bill Wittel’s walk: Search Ellen’s Dream Team at act.alz.org For the Walk to End Alzheim er’s — a nationwide fundraiser for the disease’s care, support and research led by the Alzheim er’s Association — Bill and those who are a part of “Ellen’s Dream Team” will walk the same route Saturday, Oct. 3. Any chance he gets, Bill said he looks for ways that supports Alzheimer’s education and research. He’s a part of a Beyond Dementia coalition, which brings awareness to dementia, a group of conditions commonly caused by Alzheimer’s. His goal this weekend is to inspire people to help raise $2,000 during the Walk to End Alzheim er’s, which will go toward funding the Alzheimer’s Association’s pro grams and disease-fighting efforts. While his wife lived in memory care, Bill said his friend Mark Green, minister of music at the First Baptist Church of Gaines ville, encouraged him to try out swimming. “He invited me to Frances Meadows,” Bill recounted. “I swam three laps and thought I was going to die.” Week by week, Bill added on another lap to his exercise. He eventually took on a trainer, Ali cia Hunt, owner of The Sore Spot Massage Therapy in Gainesville, to help him stay active. Bill said one day she mentioned the Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon and AquaBike, an event which involves swimming 400 yards, cycling 13 miles and running 5 kilometers in under three hours. “She never asked me to do it,” Bill said. “But I told her, ‘I believe I can do this; I just need a bike.’” At 75, Bill said he had never trained for an athletic event. How ever, on Sept. 27, he completed the course in 2 hours and 37 minutes alongside Hunt. “The whole purpose for it was to bring awareness to Alzheimer’s, but also, it was for Ellen,” he said. “She, as a matter of fact, was my primary thought throughout the race.” Bill said people used to call his wife the funniest woman in Gaines ville. Today, he said her humor still shines through, mostly with her facial expressions. Although living with a loved one who has Alzheimer’s can prove frustrating and depressing at times, Bill said he takes the time to look for the little positive moments that make the day brighter. If he could give advice to people who have loved ones with the dis ease, Bill said he would tell them to strive to be physically and spiritu ally active, keep family members involved in your life and get help from local Alzheimer’s support groups or organizations. “When I look at her and see others who are suffering from it, I think of how brave they are to be to deal with what they’re deal ing with,” he said. “The grief hits you every day, but you just have to take that positive step forward and make every day count.” The kindness of Larry Pirkle and other readers R0NDA RICH southswomen@bellsouth.net It happened a year or two ago that I read a magazine piece that moved me enough to reach out to the writer and compliment him. He wasn’t famous. At least, I had never heard of him, but he wrote powerfully and movingly about his recently departed mama. And, I thought he deserved to be lifted up. He didn’t reply, and though I thought it odd, I shrugged it off. I get hundreds of emails a day, and believe it or not, I get many pieces of handwritten notes and letters from readers. No more than 1% are critical. They’re incredibly kind, often touching, and the folks take the time to thank me for my stories. And, sometimes, they share stories of their own. The emails I answer rather quickly, then once a month, I sit down to answer with a handwrit ten reply, and sometimes I even surprise them with a call. It’s important, I feel, to repay kind words with gratitude. When he did not respond, I figured my email did not reach him. A few months later, I heard a tremendous compliment about his work from a person of renown. I decided to pass it along in another email. Again, I was driven by how much kind words uplift me. No reply. When I had the opportunity to review a piece of his work, I praised it highly because it deserved it. I did mention that he never acknowledged my emails. Then, I got a reply. It was both a chastisement and a thank you. He explained that he normally answered only people in need. I answer those too, but I will never fail to thank someone for admiring my work and sharing a story. There is a wonderful woman who reads this column in Blythewood, South Carolina. She writes occasionally, and I always answer. The other day, she sent a five- page letter, and I was halfway through it before she gave me a date and said, “That was the sad dest day of my life.” As the story unfolded, she told me all about the weather that day, her sons, their work and then that one did not show up for work, so the other went to see about him and discovered that his brother had died in his sleep. I was so taken by her strength, that I wrote immediately. And I have prayed for her every day since. A bit ago, an email popped up from a wonderful man whom I’ve never met, but I admire his thoughtfulness and kindness. Larry Pirkle of Dawsonville, Georgia asked by email if I minded giving him my address. I replied, then two days later, a note arrived. Handwritten. He explained that his sister had called and asked if he had read my column that day. He immediately picked up the paper and began to read it to his mama. “As I read it aloud, I stopped mid column .. and wept. ‘Faith will carry us through crisis’ was God sent! It just reaffirms why I write,” he explained. Larry has written a couple of books that showcase the faith and family values of the Appala chian Mountains. Enclosed in the note was a packet of flower seeds — morn ing glory. It was my turn to weep. Mama loved morning glories, and she always planted them. Larry didn’t know an essential part of my childhood was my mama’s morning glories. All of her flowers, really. I remember so clearly how she’d take her pan of used dishwater out every summer’s morning and water her flowers. “Hope you will enjoy these seeds. They are weeds to some folks, but our family has always had a special place for them.” Dear, Larry Pirkle. Thank God for people like you and the moments of sweetness and encouragement you spread. I shall be in need of precious readers like you, always. Always. Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of “Let Me Tell You Something.” Visit www.rondarich. com to sign up for her free weekly newsletter.
