Page created by: Stephanie Reaves

My father Gary B. Reaves lost his battle with Parkinson's disease on Sunday, June 3rd, 2018. I didn't know much about Parkinson's disease when he was first diagnosed with it 7 years ago. Like most of you, all that immediately came to mind were the images of Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali. All I knew is that they "shook". I didn't have any idea what a terrible progressive disease it was, and that it would ultimately take his life.

It was when he picked me up from the train station in 2013 when I first noticed evidence of the disease. I saw my father standing at the bottom of the platform but I didn't recognize him. He looked just a bit stiffer and slower. He had less emotion in his face - hypomimia. They call it a mask-like expression, and that's exactly what it was like- he was wearing a mask - he wasn't himself.

When I moved in with my father about two years ago, it was then when I finally began to see what life was like with someone with this disease. As time went on I saw his strength decline and the disease progress from not being about to lift a gallon of milk, to not be able to lift a glass, to not being able to lift a tv remote, his cell phone, or knife and fork. By his final days, he was completely bedridden and couldn't even lift a finger - literally.

It was hard to watch, and when he would complain about all the things he couldn't do anymore, I had to try to remain as stoic and positive as possible and utilize the positive self-talk techniques I have learned this last year and possible and emphasize all the things he *could* still do. I'd later run out the room and cry knowing very well that there is nothing that I could do, and that in some ways these were just empty words and that it would just keep getting worse.

You can "beat" cancer by it going into remission etc, but with Parkinson's there is no cure. Medicines can delay the decline, and there are measures to take that the patient can maintain a quality of life, but many times the person passes due to complications from the disease itself.

With Father's Day upon us, if possible, I ask that you please take a minute to honor his memory and fight this terrible disease by donating to my fathers tribute page to donate what you can. Participation rates is just as important as donation amount, because many grants are often given by number of donors participating. I aspire to raise more money for the cause in the near future, but I want to begin here.

Thank you all for reading this. As always, remember to take care of yourself, others, and be kind.

- Stephanie Reaves

In Loving Memory of
Gary B. Reaves
January 28th, 1949 - June 3rd, 2018