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April 13, 2024 · 4:50 pm

Marking Dad’s birthday in a special place

I had a work trip this week that took me to New York City for the day. It just so happened to fall on what would have been my father’s 92nd birthday. It was nice to be able to mark the occasion in the first city my father lived in after immigrating to America.

While it’s been almost 70 years since my father walked the streets of the Big Apple, the city’s nonstop energy remains. I can only imagine what my father felt walking these streets, gazing up at skyscrapers, and being part of a community filled with a wide range of cultures and languages. As a young man with his whole life ahead of him, it must have been exciting and likely a bit overwhelming.

On my flight back home, a couple of strangers struck up a conversation and the topic turned to Alzheimer’s. Both were caring for people with dementia, with the man saying he cared for three gentlemen who were younger than him. I find that the amount of people whose lives have been touched by Alzheimer’s has grown a great deal since my father died in 2011.

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May 31, 2018 · 7:30 am

A brief visit to one of Dad’s favorite cities

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On Tuesday, I traveled to New York City for a whirlwind day to attend the IPPY Awards ceremony and accept the gold medal I won for The Reluctant Caregiver.

I didn’t have time to visit Dad’s former residences in the Big Apple, but walking along the many famous streets, viewing the mix of historic and modern architecture, and absorbing the global mix of sights, sounds and flavors, I can see why New York City held a special place in my father’s heart.

Of course the city has changed dramatically in the many decades since my Dad made his way to America and first called NYC his home, but there is a unique energy flowing through the streets that can’t be replicated elsewhere. That energy is very loud and boisterous and can be overwhelming for an introvert like myself but it certainly is full of life.

I thought of Dad a lot during my brief visit to New York, and know both of my parents would be proud of my writing accomplishments. (Though like I said before, they might not be fond of all of the material about them!)

I’m glad I made the trip and hopefully I’ll be able to return for a longer stay.