Hundreds attend 2025 Alzheimer's walk in DeLand

A Walk To End Alzheimer's

Hundreds gathered to attend the A Walk To End Alzheimer's in DeLand. FOX 35's Matt Trezza has the sights and sounds -- and messages of hope -- from the event.

Hundreds of participants gathered at Earl Brown Park in DeLand on a cooler Saturday morning for a walk to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's and dementia.

The event featured a Promise Garden with colored flowers representing different connections to the disease: orange for supporters, blue for those living with dementia, yellow for caregivers, and purple for those who have lost a relative.

By the numbers:

The Alzheimer's Association reports that Alzheimer's deaths have more than doubled between 2000 and 2021, with one in three seniors dying with some form of dementia.

More than seven million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's kills more people than breast and prostate cancers combined.

2025 Walk to End Alzheimer's: Son remembers his mom, dad

Hundreds woke up early Saturday morning for the 2025 "A Walk To End Alzheimer's" in DeLand, Volusia County. FOX 35's Matt Trezza talked to a man who lost both of his parents to Alzheimer's.

Pat and Steve Copple have been personally affected by Alzheimer's since Steve's diagnosis eight years ago, highlighting the emotional and practical challenges faced by families.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood shared his personal experience with his grandmother's battle with Alzheimer's, underscoring the widespread impact of the disease.

"It started out as mild cognitive impairment and then followed by a diagnosis of Alzheimer's. And I would say he's about in the end of the middle stage right now." - Pat Copple

"I'm hoping that we can get to a point where my kids and their kids don't have to deal with this down the road." - Ned Broadwater
 

2025 "A Walk To End Alzheimer's" in Volusia County

Hundreds gathered Saturday morning for the 2025 "A Walk To End Alzheimer's," one of many walks in Florida and across the country. The goal is to raise awareness and support for Alzheimer's and dementia research, and support and resources for those impacted by the disease.

What you can do:

The funds raised will support Alzheimer's research and advocacy, with the hope of finding a cure and improving the lives of those affected by the disease.
Continued efforts and events are expected to maintain momentum in the fight against Alzheimer's, with community involvement playing a crucial role.