she’d marry him, and then fi gured
they’d just move on.But after sharing what had happened
with their children — the couple have
fi ve adult kids from previous marriages
— Lisa’s daughter Sarah Brehant, 32,
insisted that she should actually get
married again. In February 2021, as
Peter started to decline more rapidly,
Lisa realized time was running short to
celebrate their love. With a mantra of
“no regrets,” Lisa told Sarah — who runs
a wedding planning business — that she
and Peter wanted to renew their vows.Sarah reached out to trusted vendors
about her parents’ story, and everyone
— the event hall, fl orists, calligraphers,
musicians, caterers — generously
volunteered or donated thousands of
dollars in services for the occasion.
Th e dementia specialist who works
with Lisa even offi ciated the ceremony,
which took place on April 26 in front
of a small group of family and friends.
Th ey danced, laughed, loved and lived
before the clock struck midnight.“I felt Cinderella-ish. It was
magical,” Lisa says. “From
the moment Peter saw me
walking down this long
room to him and into the
night, he was very present
and lucid, enamored
even, as if it was our fi rst
wedding. He was so happy.”Lisa chronicled the vow
renewal on her Facebook
blog “Oh, Hello Alzheimer’s,”
which she started in 2019 to
highlight the challenges and
occasional lighter moments
of caring for a spouse living
with Alzheimer’s.Lisa uses her blog to help educate people
about the disease, raise money for
Alzheimer’s research and connect with
other caregivers. The blog’s more than 16,000
followers fi nd comfort, inspiration and
community in knowing they are not alone.While it has become a source of suppo
Lisacreatedtheblogfromaplaceofg
and panic. “I was screaming for help. ‘Oh
my God, do you see what is happening
tomyhusband,myPrinceCharming?
Somebody help me!’” Lisa says.Th e day-to-day reality for
a dementia caregiver is no
fairytale, a fact “Oh, Hello
Alzheimer’s” often shows. In
oneentry,LisarecountsPeter’
frequent conversations with
imaginary friend in the mirr
another, she shares the first
Peter could no longer recall her name.“I want to link arms with other
caregivers because when Peter was
diagnosed, I felt like there
was a defi cit.I didn’t know what to look for, who
to talk to,” Lisa says.Her blog followers are also coming
together to fi ght back. Lisa started an
“Oh, Hello Alzheimer’s” Walk to End
Alzheimer’s team, which has raised over
$55,000 for care, support and research.Peter continues to decline and doesn’t
remember his second wedding to Lisa — or
even who she is beyond a trusted caregiver.When they look at their vow renewal
pictures together, Peter doesn’t
recognize himself. But Lisa treasures
that magical day, and during the
hardest times recalls one of many
touching moments:“Peter gave me a kiss, leaned in and said
inmyear, ‘Thank you for stay ing.’”Lisa and Peter at their wedding in 2009.Paid Partner Content Presented by the Alzheimer’s AssociationWant more? Subscribe to ALZ for free at alz.org/TIMEpromo