For nearly 25 years, Sylvia’s Kids has turned the Walk to End Alzheimer’s into a family tradition—honoring one mother’s memory while raising thousands to help other families facing the disease
For the Bullington family, the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s is about much more than crossing a finish line.
It is a family reunion. A tradition. A chance to remember their mother. And, after nearly 25 years of walking together, it has become part of the family’s legacy.
Their team, Sylvia’s Kids, will once again participate in the Quad Cities Walk to End Alzheimer’s, carrying forward a tradition that began decades ago in honor of Gary Bullington’s mother, Sylvia.
The team was originally called “The Bullingtons,” but as Gary’s siblings joined in, the name evolved to better represent them all: Sylvia’s Kids.
Today, family members travel from across the country to participate. Nine are expected to walk together this year, including four grandchildren. Those who can’t make the trip still join in from afar, putting on their Sylvia’s Kids shirts and walking at the same time in their own communities.
It is one way the family stays connected — to each other and to Sylvia.
When Everything Began to Change
Sylvia began showing signs of Alzheimer’s in her early 60s. Gary’s wife, a physical therapist, was among the first to recognize that something wasn’t right and encouraged the family to have Sylvia evaluated.
At first, the changes could be easy to dismiss. Sylvia would hide paperwork or repeatedly rearrange furniture. Then hallucinations began. She believed people were standing on a neighbor’s roof.
Because Sylvia was living alone, Gary and his wife stopped by every day after work to check on her and help however they could.
Then came a frightening turning point.
One day, Sylvia turned on the stove burners to heat her home. When Gary arrived, the house was filling with gas.
The family knew she could no longer safely live alone.
They removed the knobs from the stove and began contacting relatives and searching for a place where Sylvia could receive the care and supervision she needed.
Eventually, she moved into a private group home in Phoenix, where she would spend the next six and a half years.
For Gary, the transformation after the move demonstrated just how important the right environment can be for someone living with dementia. The home’s owner, a nurse, made Sylvia part of everyday life, including involving her in preparing meals. She had structure, companionship, activity and a sense of belonging.
Remarkably, Gary said Sylvia’s hallucinations stopped the day she left her own home.
Sylvia died at 77, but her influence on her family—and the lessons they learned while caring for her—continue.
Lessons From a Family Caregiver
After years of experience, Gary is passionate about sharing what his family learned with others navigating Alzheimer’s and dementia.
One of his biggest messages is simple: care for the caregiver, too.
Without support and opportunities for rest, caregivers can quickly become overwhelmed, particularly when a loved one begins wandering or waking throughout the night.
He also encourages families not to argue with someone experiencing dementia. Rather than insisting that their version of reality is wrong, he believes it is often kinder to enter their world and avoid creating unnecessary fear or anxiety.
Just as important is remembering that the person living with dementia is still a person.
Include them in conversations rather than talking about them as though they aren’t there. Hold their hand. Touch their shoulder. Let them know they are seen and included.
And when those precious moments of clarity arrive, Gary says to savor them.
They may not come again.
A Family Tradition With an Impact
Over the years, Sylvia’s Kids has watched the Walk to End Alzheimer’s grow—and their own involvement has grown with it.
The family remembers earlier walks, collectible pins and artist-designed shirts. Their own team shirts evolved from simple black and white designs to shirts featuring Sylvia’s color photo on purple. They were among the early teams to embrace the color that has become so closely associated with Alzheimer’s awareness.
Their impact goes well beyond showing up on Walk Day.
Sylvia’s Kids consistently raises approximately $20,000 each year to support the fight against Alzheimer’s. Gary focuses most of his personal fundraising efforts into about two months, mindful of donor fatigue, but he reminds supporters that donations can continue through the end of the year.
Still, the numbers only tell part of the story.
For Sylvia’s family, returning to the Prescott-area Walk year after year creates a reason to gather. Children and grandchildren participate. Family members fly in. Those who are hundreds or thousands of miles away find a way to walk alongside them.
What began because Alzheimer’s changed their family has become a tradition that keeps their family connected.
Each step carries Sylvia’s name forward.
Each purple shirt helps tell her story.
And every dollar raised brings hope that someday, other families won’t have to experience the same journey.
For Gary and Sylvia’s Kids, that makes the Walk to End Alzheimer’s worth returning to—year after year, generation after generation.
Learn more and register at: http://alz.org/quadcitieswalk