More Than Just a Race: Why the Disney Princess Half Marathon Means So Much to Me

In the next several weeks, I’ll be taking you on a personal journey I never imagined I would experience — my role as a dementia caregiver for my mom. This journey began after my dad's sudden passing from a massive heart attack, just a year after I graduated from college. At the time, I had big ambitions to serve in the Foreign Service or become a diplomat, but life had a different plan.

While my mom went through a deep depression after my dad’s passing, little did I know she was not just struggling with grief, but perhaps unknowingly battling early-onset Alzheimer’s in her early 50s. Over time, she began mismanaging money, making up fake names for my brother, and hoarding things. But what was even harder to witness was the sudden shift in her behavior—she became agitated, both physically and verbally, towards me. These signs, which I now know are common in Alzheimer's, were signs I couldn’t understand at the time.

That’s why I’m participating in the Disney Princess Half Marathon, raising funds for the Alzheimer’s Association, to help others understand the importance of early detection and the challenges caregivers face. Through this journey, I hope to raise awareness about this disease that has impacted me and so many others.

Your support in this effort means the world to me and will help provide critical resources for those living with Alzheimer's and the caregivers who dedicate their lives to supporting them. 

Link:  2025 The Longest Day: Usha N Tewari | The Longest Day - Outshine the Darkness of Alzheimer's