1 week Ago By By Meghan Drakas
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) ABC 17 News Anchor Meghan Drakas is sharing her family's experience with Alzheimer's disease along with other members of the ABC 17 family, in the leadup to Columbia's Walk to End Alzheimer's on Saturday. My grandmother Barbara Early was born in 1938 in the suburbs of Philly.
She was a mother, grandmother, wife, homemaker, secretary and life of the party. Barbara Early at a wedding in Pennsylvania on May 1, 1993. [From the Drakas family] I have memories of her picking me up from preschool and asking her for French fries from the Burger King drive-thru.
Years later, she taught me how to knit while we watched soap operas in her living room. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2013 when she was 75 years old, but she didn't let the disease define her. She continued to spend time with her husband, children and grandchildren until the very end when she lost her battle in January 2021.
Barbara Early (left) pictured with her husband Gene Early along with Meghan Drakas and her sister Abby Drakas [From the Drakas family] Like me, many others at ABC 17 News have lost their loved ones to this crippling disease. Creative Services Director Mark Kammerich lost his father Edwin to Alzheimer's Disease in 2016. Mark remembers his father as always being there to help out when he needed advice.
Mark Kammerich's father, Edwin Kammerich [Submitted by Mark Kammerich] Kammerich said his dad helped others by sharing his time and talent for a variety of repairs including appliances like small engines and clocks. In addition, Kammerich said his father volunteered his time for Meals on Wheels, The Steam Engine Association and as a 4-H leader. Production Assistant Jerry Handley lost his grandmother Sarah to dementia.
Handley said he remembers his grandmother as loving, and always keeping her hands busy while making quilts. He added she loved to care for all of her grandchildren. Jerry Handley's grandmother Sarah Carpenter pictured with Jerry's niece, Marsha.
[Submitted by Jerry Handley] In 2021, ABC 17 Stormtrack Meteorologist Chance Gotsch lost his grandmother Mary Gotsch. He remembers his grandmother as the happiest woman he's ever met. He said she was always smiling, laughing and making everyone around her feel loved by giving out "a million hugs.
" Mary Gotsch pictured with her husband Thomas Gotsch [Submitted by Chance Gotsch] Like the ABC 17 Family, so many others in the Mid-Missouri community know the difficulties and pain of having a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer's or dementia. This year, more than 122,000 Missourians are battling Alzheimer's Disease and that number is apart of the nearly seven million across the nation . The Alzheimer's Association estimates the Show-Me state has over 223,000 caregivers taking care of their loved ones.
All of these numbers are expected to grow. Join ABC 17 News at the Columbia Walk to End Alzheimer's on Saturday at Stankowski Field. This year the walk goal is set at $185,000.
As of Friday evening, the walk had raised more than $108,000. The Alzheimer's Association has a free 24/7 hotline (1-800-272-3900) which offers resources, support, assistance and information for anyone affected by Alzheimer's including patients, caregivers and family members..
