Jan’s Story and Barry’s Choice

This heartbreaking CBS report of a woman suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s has been making the rounds the past couple of days. It follows the story of Jan Chorlton, an energetic news reporter who was diagnosed with the disease at the young age of 55. Now, at 60, she lives in an assisted living facility, where she no longer recognizes the face even of her own husband — Barry Peterson, the author of the article.

The video is even more heartbreaking to watch — Barry sitting with his wife, wiping away tears as Jan talks about her husband in the third person, not knowing the man in front of her. But the story takes a surprising turn with the choice that Barry ultimately makes in the end…

I don’t want to spoil it — you really should watch the video yourself — but I’d be interested to hear people’s thoughts and reactions in the comments below. What do you think of Barry’s choice?

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Author

  • Margaret Cabaniss

    Margaret Cabaniss is the former managing editor of Crisis Magazine. She joined Crisis in 2002 after graduating from the University of the South with a degree in English Literature and currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland. She now blogs at SlowMama.com.

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