He toured the world with his mother who has Alzheimer's: he wanted to give her one last gift
We would do anything for our mothers, even literally go around the world to make her feel good and to see her smile again. A bit like Sean O'Sallaigh has done; the 44-year-old man from Ireland decided to take his 80-year-old mother with him on an exciting tour of some of the most beautiful countries in the world. Sean did all this to try to improve his mother Mary's condition, as she has long been suffering from Alzheimer's...
via Daily Mail UK
Way back in 2013 Sean received a phone call that he never wanted to receive: while he was in his apartment in Rome, the young man learned that his mother Mary was suffering from Alzheimer's and that the years to come would be increasingly difficult for her and for him, the son who would have to look after her. Years passed, mother Mary had not hinted at improving, gradually losing even the faculty of speech, and so Sean thought of an alternative idea to try to make her feel better and to give her one last gift before it was too late.
Sean O'Salleigh decided to spend 18 months with his mother making a fantastic and unforgettable tour with her: they left their native Ireland and then visited spectacular places such as Nepal, Italy and South Africa; an extraordinary journey that in 2018 greatly benefited Mary's health, as she slowly began to talk again ...
Sean said: "I thought Alzheimer's was just a slow decline, but when we got to Nepal, she started regaining language skills. The neurologist told me that positive and happy people get happier as their Alzheimer's progresses. She was right: Mom seemed to rejuvenate and remain happy. We intended to return there after a couple of months. It was hot and so she could go out a lot. We walked along the lake and watched the children play with us in the cafes and they always talked to her and she to them. The children brushed her hair. They called her grandmother and she said 'namaste' to everyone!"
When Mary's condition worsened in 2018 and the old lady was beginning to lose her ability to speak as well, Sean knew he had to avoid the sad fate of the nursing home at all costs, where she would be looked after exclusively by nurses and people unknown to her. For this reason he decided to take her with him for a last exciting trip in the company of Gloria, a caregiver who would help him take care of his mother Mary just in case.
Together, Sean and Mary visited the majestic beauty of Rome, the green of Umbria, the fascinating colors of Nepal in Asia, and finally modern Cape Town in South Africa; the latter was the last stage of this exciting journey around the world because unfortunately Mary passed away in May 2019.
Sean, saddened by the fact that his mother is gone, would not go back however: he knew that he had done everything to make the last years of Mary's life the most carefree and comfortable possible; Sean is convinced that he gave his mother one of the best times in their lives, a journey around the world that neither of them would ever forget!
You were a fantastic son, Sean!
