Hundreds turn out to honor loved ones lost to Alzheimer's, end affliction - Record-Searchlight

Lori Wagner lost her mother, Jan McIrvin, to Alzheimer’s less than three weeks ago.

But on Saturday, she was fighting to end the disease’s scourge.

She and her family were walking in honor of McIrvin — known by her grandchildren as “Red Grandma” for her hair’s hue — and to help raise money for research.

Together known as “Team Red Grandma,” they joined more than 300 people who marched in the third annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s at the Sundial Bridge, said Lorene Bower, committee chair for the walk.

She said that the walk had already exceeded its $45,000 goal and the counting wasn’t done.

Bower became involved in part because she lost a grandmother to the disease.

“It’s a cause close to my heart,” she said.

McIrvin’s granddaughter, Leslie Freeland, was alongside Wagner at the walk Saturday.

Both had seen how Alzheimer’s affected McIrvin.

Freeland said her grandmother was “feisty” and funny — she’d turn to amusing snippets to cover memory lapses.

“She would tell us funny anecdotes to cover things,” Freeland said.

Wagner said McIrvin loved “Jeopardy.” But she stopped watching because she couldn’t answer the game show’s questions.

The walk also brought in those who hadn’t seen Alzheimer’s first hand but wanted to help.

Dalton Iveans came down from Weed with his College of the Siskiyous baseball team, the Sis-Q’s, in support of the team’s coach, who has lost loved ones to the disease.

“It’s crazy to see how many people turned out,” he said.

Iveans’ teammate, Andrew Geary, said he remembers two of his great grandmothers’ fight with Alzheimer’s. He said he’d try to have a conversation and they’d begin well but memory lapses would become apparent.

“You’re slowly and steadily losing your mind,” he said.

Charice Robins also walked after having seen how Alzheimer’s first hand in her work as a nurse with Golden Umbrella’s adult day care.

Her patients are full of life, said Robins, purple ribbons dotting both cheeks to support Alzheimer’s research and awareness.

“I figured why not extend it to the rest of the day,” she said. “People ask, ‘Why’s your face painted?’ I can tell them why.”