Andy and Ricci Sanchez are originally from Texas. When Ricci was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at just 56 years old, the couple got involved with the Alzheimer's Association. They generously included the Alzheimer's Association in their estate plans, making them members of the Founders Society.

The Sanchez family really loves BBQ.

"Our family has always been outdoor cooks and being from Texas, huge BBQ fans," Andy Sanchez explains. "We would always try any new BBQ place that opened up in or around the Houston area and any place that we could reasonably try in Texas."

When Andy's wife Ricci got a job as the COO of a large hospital in Kansas City, the passion only escalated. For years, the family had been keeping up with the world of barbecue contests, of which the worldwide "king" is held by the Kansas City Barbeque Society.

"When Ricci was in KC, we decided that it was time for us to really become a part of what we'd been following for so long," Andy says. "We took a judging class through the KCBS and became Certified KCBS Judges! We had a blast going to different contests and meeting new people that had the same interest as we did in BBQ."

However, things took a turn when the family received some surprising news. At 56, Ricci was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease. 

"I had been struggling with my short-term memory, relying on sticky notes to get through the day," she remembers.

Andy says that, at first, he didn't fully comprehend how much their lives were going to change.

"[Ricci] told me that our retirement was not going to be what we planned for and dreamed of," he says. "I didn't understand. I didn't know anything about Alzheimer's."

It quickly became clear that Ricci's career was immediately over. The demands of her job would be increasingly difficult to meet in her condition, and rapid decline is usually expected with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease. In search of support, Andy reached out to the Alzheimer's Association for advice, and the couple decided to join a support group in their area. 

"The support group we are part of has truly become part of our extended family," Ricci says. "We laugh together, cry together and enjoy lending a listening ear. Some days we rally in support of someone struggling, and other times we get to celebrate success and happiness. Each day is different, much like the nature of the disease."

Meanwhile, Andy and Ricci began rearranging their lives around the new diagnosis, meeting with elder care attorneys, getting social security disability and more. 

"After we crafted our trust, wills and our general end-of-life planning, our relationship with the Alzheimer's Association grew," Andy says. "That's when it hit us! We and others will always be battling this disease, even after your loved one has passed and even when the care partner or caregiver has passed. This battle is ongoing until we have the first Alzheimer's survivor. Therefore, it was a natural fit to include the Alzheimer's Association in our estate plans."

The Sanchez family is now part of the Founders Society, created by the Alzheimer's Association to recognize and honor those extraordinary people who include the Association in their wills or other estate plans. The couple hopes that their future gift will propel research efforts to find a cure for the disease.

"We hope there are some more promising breakthroughs while we are still here, but we want to be a part of this battle even when we're gone," Andy says. "We'll never stop!"

Today, the couple continues to support fundraising and advocacy for the Association, with Ricci sharing her unique experience.

"Coming to grips with the fact that my brain doesn't work the way it used to is something I have struggled with, but educating myself about this disease allowed me to come to a place of acceptance in order to move forward," she says. "I was encouraged both by Andy and by others living with Alzheimer's who share their own stories when I decided to make my diagnosis public."

Through their support group, Andy and Ricci got connected with the team planning the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Houston. They gave the "Promise Garden Speech" to kick off the walk in 2020 and again in 2021. From there, many more opportunities presented themselves. Ricci became an Early-Stage Advisory Group member for the Alzheimer's Association, giving her an opportunity to reach out on a national and global scale. She has used her background in health care to share a unique perspective on the disease, helping to write many published articles and even to help design and co-author a new research project with Quinnipiac University, titled "Perspectives on Living Well with Dementia," for The Journal of Applied Gerontology.

"Alzheimer's disease may be insidious, yet Andy and I find joy in each day," Ricci says. "We love to cook together, and our son and daughter-in-law share a meal with us every week. Our daughter teaches at California State University, Bakersfield, and we travel to watch her compete in golf tournaments, and she comes to Houston for the holidays. We have spent many years supporting our children in their endeavors, and we are lucky to have their support today."

Today, the Sanchez family continues to grow, and Andy and Ricci recently became grandparents. Still, adjusting to life with Alzheimer's has been a process for their adult children. 

"Neither one of them is in denial in any way, but they seem to be accepting in their own way," Andy says. "I can also see, hear and feel their pain, that they are reserved about showing. Perhaps, this is because of their acceptance."

Many extended family members have faded from their lives over the years.

"Most people that haven't been exposed to this dreadful disease are unsure on how to ‘behave' around it," Andy says. "They are uncomfortable and don't know what to expect. In our support groups, we talk about this phenomenon and it's always said that no one knows what we care partners/caregivers and loved ones are going through unless one is going through it, too."

Andy and Ricci hope that, by sharing their experiences, they can help others navigate life with dementia a little more easily. So, we asked Andy about the advice he would give someone who was recently diagnosed, as well as their family members. He's what he had to say.

"My advice to care partners — learn as much as you can about the particular type of dementia that your loved one is going through. You'll be better equipped to understand the doctors, the current research and what lies ahead for you and your loved one. Join a support group that's appropriate for where your loved one is on their current journey. In other words, don't join a group where the care partners are caring for someone in the moderate or late stages of this dreadful disease when your loved one may have just been diagnosed and are in the very early stages. And vice versa.

"To other family members — try to understand the disease (within reason) and don't be afraid of how you can help! Maybe spend time with the one living with the disease so that the care partner can shop, catch up on chores, etc. Maybe offer to help with a dinner once in a while, take the car to get inspected, heck! Anything. This disease is and can be very lonely for both the care partner and loved one.

"For the one that's been diagnosed — this is challenging. Not everyone accepts the diagnosis. Many are in denial. But for those that understand that they are experiencing certain limitations that at one time were not there, please seek a support group as well. Now, this typically is only workable for those in the early stages, but it can be helpful to those that have come to accept their diagnosis. If you've come to accept your condition, this may lend itself to becoming an advocate for all types of dementia. There is no better advocate than someone living with a dementia diagnosis to share their journey and challenges with others."

Finally, we asked Andy what he would tell someone who was considering including the Association in their estate plans, as he and Ricci did.

"Only research will lead to the first survivor — and that discovery and research can only happen through awareness, advocacy and action that leads to fundraising," Andy says. "We have lots of brilliant minds, advocates, volunteers and staff all working together to make breakthroughs to find the first survivor. But all of our collective efforts come to a halt without the fuel to drive our cause. The fuel to keep all of us going is your generous donation for our funding. So, please join us in this journey."

You can join Andy and Ricci as a member of the Founders Society by notifying the Association of your estate gift today. For more information, please call us at 866.233.5148 or send an email to plannedgiving@alz.org.