Glen Campbell is a 78 year old man from Delight, Arkansas.
He has a wife and children. He’s had a busy career for most of his life.
It just so happens that career included over 70 albums, four which were platinum, one double-platinum. In case you’ve never heard, Glen is an icon of media and entertainment, well known as a country music singer and guitarist as well as the host of the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, a variety show on CBS. He was in movies with John Wayne and played music with greats like Elvis and the Beach Boys. This year his song, “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” was up for Song of the Year at the Oscars.
That reminds us of another thing you need to know about the great Glen Campbell.
This year, the song he cowrote with Julian Raymond was performed by Tim McGraw in his absence because Glen is presently suffering from the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Diagnosed in 2011, “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” is the remaining love letter to his wife Kim and eight children as Campbell found his symptoms to be growing ever more aggressive. It was recorded for his 2014 documentary “Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me”.
I’m never gonna know what you go through
All the things I say or do
All the hurt and all the pain
One thing selfishly remains
I’m not gonna miss you
Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia, but that doesn’t make it a normal part of brain aging. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 5 million Americans live with this disease and every 67 seconds another American develops Alzheimer’s. While 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or some form of dementia, there is presently no cure.
For all the things Glen may not be able to remember these days, there is an entire world that can’t forget.
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