Hundreds Gather In Fargo Walk For Alzheimer’s

With hundreds packed into the Fargo Civic Center ready to go, one team of runners bear a message for a beloved family member who's battling the disease.

FARGO N.D. — With hundreds packed into the Fargo Civic Center ready to go, one team of runners bear a message for a beloved family member who’s battling the disease.

“My mother is one of the casualties of Alzheimer’s, and we will support anything any efforts to resolve this medical issue,” walker Dave Gierszewski said.

This is the first year Dave and his family are at the Walk To End Alzheimer’s.

They know an event like this is something Dave’s mom would love.

“She’s a people person, she likes to be around people and just getting with others and supporting this cause would be something Mom would enjoy doing,” Dave said.

In the face of a crippling disease at the age of 95, she still hasn’t lost her fighting spirit.

“It’s amazing how she’s retained her sense of humor, her sense of conversation she’s just a pleasure to be around,” Dave said.

While Dave and his family are preparing for their walk, there is a man with an infectious smile passing out wristbands and an even more important message.

“I pass these out to the students across the state of North Dakota, and these bracelets are just a reminder to them that it is their responsibility to find a cure,” supporter Les Anderson said.

Les and his wife have been involved with the cause for decades.

“My wife and I have worked with student activists across the state of North Dakota for the past 40 years as a volunteer position; we passed out 8 thousand of these bracelets to the young people,” Anderson said.

Things changed in his life after his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, but Les says more people need to share their own stories.

“That’s the only way we are going to find a cure. It was extremely difficult for me to tell our story for Debbie and myself, very difficult, it was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life,” Anderson said.