Words from fellow crusader, John Slater;

We would spend hours during those long winter evenings making all kinds of models. Model planes, cars and even boats. It was a “father and son” thing away from the South East London anarchic mayhem happening beyond our 5ft by 4ft model room (which double for a kitchen).

I would be mesmerized by the dexterity of my Dad’s thick sausage like fingers skilfully crafting a miniature Ark Royal whilst helping me build a Spitfire.

I think I was about 12yrs old when the streets of London became
a stronger attraction than our Kitchen (model room) but those precious moments with my Dad would mould my future whilst firmly establish him as my forever hero and the man I will worship and cherish for life.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing; I wished I had spent more time as a boy making models with my Dad and more time as an adult with my dad trying to understand the cruel injustice of Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s took away my Dad, without care or compassion; on
that long and painful journey it also took away the dignity of a proud,
wonderful and caring man along with the opportunity for Dad and I to make another model together. After so many years away from model making, just one more model would have been enough but Alzheimer’s is the champion of calling “too late”, I could only helplessly watch the cruelty of Alzheimer’s slowly taking Dad away.

Working on our Travel Trade Crusade 17 chariot has rekindled wonderful memories of many happy days and my model making spirit, the spirit instilled in me by my Dad. I know he would be proud to see our large scale model making craftsmanship, smile at the daily splinter removal process, but moreover, he would be so proud that we are doing Crusade 17 to raise money to help others fight what is probably one of the cruellest diseases a human could suffer.

Thank you for reading this note, please give something to our fund raising request and maybe, just maybe we can tell Alzheimer’s that
it’s too late.

If you are currently being impacted due to a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s then why not speak to the Alzheimer’s Society, I wish I had.