“The Genius of Marian” an emotional, intimate look at Alzheimer’s

It may seem odd to say that a documentary about Alzheimer’s is beautiful, but there is much beauty in the family-made documentary, “The Genius of Marian,” as well as a great deal of love.

That’s what makes the devastation that Alzheimer’s unleashes on this one close-knit family so utterly heartbreaking.

Photo: geniusofmarian.com

The documentary is about two remarkable women, mother and daughter, both who end up with Alzheimer’s. Marian Williams Steele was a talented artist and vibrant woman. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in the late 1990’s and passed away in 2001 at the age of 89.

Her daughter, Pam White, is equally fascinating. She is a beautiful woman with an amazing smile who was an actress and model. After her mother passed, White planned to write a book about her called, “The Genius of Marian.” Sadly, Pam herself was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 61, just as she was getting started on the book.

Her son, Banker White, decided to make a documentary about these two remarkable women. He doesn’t hold back, showing the ups and downs that occur with Alzheimer’s, and how the family struggles and copes with the situation.

White’s husband is a testament to the power of love. He does an incredible job as caregiver for his wife, a role he was thrown into with no experience, like many family caregivers.

I don’t want to give anymore away because you really should see the film. The good news is that you can do so for free thanks to PBS, through Oct. 8. I watched it on the PBS channel on my Roku box. You can also watch it online. If you can, please consider donating to the filmmakers’ charity, The Genius of Caring.