What Dementia Looks Like: Man’s Touching Photo Essay Of Mom’s Dementia Battle Goes Viral [Photos]
A picture is worth a thousand words.
While some people may only consider the quote to be just another notable cliché, it speaks volumes when viewing one man’s latest photo essay. On the morning of May 18, Jake Heath decided to share photos of his mom, Jacquie, with the world. So, he took to reddit in honor of Dementia Awareness Week with eleven captivating photos. Now, the photos have gone viral.
Back in 2007, his 58-year-old mom was diagnosed with Pick’s disease, a rare neurodegenerative disease classified as a form of early onset dementia. According to the Huffington Post, she was initially misdiagnosed, as her symptoms of emotional outbursts and occasional confusion were attributed to menopause. However, doctors later discovered her condition was much more severe than they initially thought.
During an exclusive interview with Mirror Online, Jake recalled the day they were informed about his mother’s ailing condition.
“When we first heard of mom’s diagnosis, it was heartbreaking. My parents were living in Toronto at the time, and [my sister] Zoe and I were sharing a unit here in Sydney. Dad called me at work and told me to Skype him as soon as Zoe and I got home — didn’t matter what time. The call was very blunt,” Jake recalled. “He said, ‘Your mother is going to die.’ ”
Now, Jack’s riveting photos taken over the last 10 years show just how debilitating the ailing disease is. Although many people have probably read about the disease, his compelling photos tell a much more detailed story without many words. The eleven photos he shared are documentation of her heartbreaking decline and deteriorating health, dating back to 2005.
Here’s Jake’s photo essay detailing “what dementia looks like.”
Jacquie Heath’s heartbreaking photo viral has gone viral, with more than two million views and over 2,300 comments. Although his mother’s decline is extremely heartbreaking, he admits there is a silver lining. “The silver-lining of this illness is that it has brought us closer together as a family, and it has given us a chance to love Jacquie the way she loved us.”
[Image(s) via Imgur, Reddit]