Thanks to all the wonderful people who showed up for the recent parade at Country Manor in Whitefield. My wife is a patient there so of course I agreed to be in it. What surprised me was how many came. I figured maybe a couple dozen or so, but instead almost a hundred came, and we all got lined up in our trucks and cars led by a fire truck, followed by a farmer’s trailer with people in it, and then a couple dozen motorcyclists and then us.  One kind lady saw I didn’t have a balloon or other decoration so helped me out.

As the parade started it was all I could do to hold back tears seeing such an outpouring of support and love coming from an everyone. The parade line stretched over a mile long and many of us were allowed to turn around and get back in line, which many of us did. I even went a third time, as I was worried my wife didn’t recognize me the first two times, even though I was only 6 feet away in my truck. But that’s Alzheimer’s for you.

This lockdown is hurting not only the patients at Country Manor but all of us loved ones who want so much to visit again. I commend Country Manor for keeping that awful virus away from there. Thank God. 

 To see and watch the love and compassion taking place is almost heartbreaking.

 

Frank Slason

Somerville