Heart of the Home Series

Alma Valencia shares 11 years of family caregiving, her mother’s FTD journey, and why art, food, music, and community matter.

Dugan Meredith never planned to become a caregiver — but when his mother-in-law was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, he surrendered control, found his purpose, and built a nonprofit to support families walking the same road. This is his story, in his own words.

Sadie was 11 years old when her father was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia. For nearly three years — through a COVID lockdown — she helped care for him until his passing in January 2021. Now 19 and a college hockey player, she speaks with raw honesty about grief, resilience, and what it means to be a good swimmer in a world that forgets you can drown.