Brown quickly discovered that her
16-hour days on the “Community”
set and around-the-clock caregiving
didn’t go hand-in-hand. In 2014, she
made the painful choice to walk
away from her dream role after fi ve
seasons on the show. Th e decision
was devastating for Brown, and was
met with sadness by her costars and
“Community” fans around the world.“I got a lot of fl ak for leaving, but I
don’t think people understood. Th is
is my dad and he was having a crisis;
I’m his daughter and it’s my job to
take care of him,” Brown says.‘HE STILL FINDS JOY IN LIFE’
Currently in the middle stage of
Alzheimer’s, Omar has diffi culty
remembering his name or how he
got somewhere. But parts of his
warm, positive personality still
shine through the darkness of
dementia. “Even on days when he
doesn’t even know where he is,
he still fi nds joy in life. He’s just
got a sense of wonder that’s
never gone away,” Brown says.
“Only now, I am the keeper of
his memories.”Brown admits caregiving
has taken a signifi cant
toll on her personal and
professional life — but
she has no regrets. “I
don’t know how much
longer I’m going to
have him, so I want to
soak up every minute,
whether it’s good or
bad,” she says.Eventually Brown was
able to fi nd a balancebetween caregiving and her career,
returning to acting with a recurring
role on the popular CBS sitcom
“Mom,” appearing in the fi lm
“Avengers: Endgame” and hosting the
Disney+ game show “Th e Big Fib.”As an Alzheimer’s Association
Celebrity Champion, Brown raises
awareness of the disease and the
resources available through the
organization. While she speaks upaltruistic world.Association, for those who are
living with the disease and theirwill be reciprocated and someone
will help you out when you’re facing
a hard time.”Brown holding a photo of her father, Omar.Brown and her father.Paid Partner Content Pre d