This is a true story about a beautiful 92-year-old woman who attends the Williams Adult Day Center of Senior Services each weekday. Ms. E. has Alzheimer’s disease, like many of the participants at the Williams Center. Despite her memory loss, she has a great personality and she lights up when she sees staff members and friends at the Center.

Ms. E. has a favorite, bright red knit cap that she wears often. It looks like the color of Christmas. Ms. E. has been photographed at the Williams Center and her photo appeared, red hat and all, on the cover of the 2013 Annual Report of Senior Services. The title of the report was COURAGE and Ms. E. certainly epitomizes a 92-year-old woman facing life with dignity and courage.

At the end of a recent day, when Ms. E’s daughter came to pick up Ms. E. at the Williams Center, she showed her Mom the photo on the cover of the annual report.

“Look at this beautiful picture, Momma” she said. “Do you know who that is?” she asked.

Ms. E. studied the photo for a while and then finally replied, “I don’t know who it is, but whoever she is, she has my hat on!”

Sometimes, with Alzheimer’s disease, we don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Ms. E. now lives in a nursing home and is still wearing her red hat. Her family got together this season and decided that instead of exchanging Christmas gifts they would donate money to the Williams Center in honor of their Mom.

Through Ms. E’s illness, family members have told us that they have learned “to love again, to share again and to be patient again.”

Whenever things looks challenging, we just think of the courageous lady with the red hat.