Thank you for giving me my father back for a brief moment

A few years ago, my dad was diagnosed with a disease called dementia with Lewy bodies. He's weak, frail, disoriented, thinks my mom is his nurse, and doesn't know who I am most of the time. It's horrible to watch the most important person in your life wither away in front of you by a disease no one understands. I've been through a lot in my life. I've made mistakes. My dad always encouraged, forgave, and loved me.

My dad is usually completely unaware if what's going on after 8pm. He was alert and lucid all night. He stayed awake and was alert. We hollered and cheered the entire game. This has not happened in years. Years.

Ive broken down in tears several times trying to write this. At the end of the game, my dad, in a moment of complete clarity and normalcy, remembered a time years ago when we traveled from Raleigh North Carolina to FedEx field to watch a redskins game. He told me it was one of his favorite memories and that he treasured it. He can't remember who I am most of the time, but after this victory, he remembered that. He remembered me, and a special trip we took together. I will treasure tonight forever. Not because the skins won, but because, for a brief moment, I had my father back. I might not not ever have him "back" again. I just wanted to say thank you, redskins. You gave me a moment with my father I may never get again. My father knows who I am. And he loves me. Thank you.

Awesome story BHA.

It's great that you built some lasting memories tonight with your Dad.

My Dad passed back in October, and I feel he's been watching over me since then, and I like to think he's been pulling some strings for the Skins these last 7 games. :)

Awesome story BHA.

It's great that you built some lasting memories tonight with your Dad.

My Dad passed back in October, and I feel he's been watching over me since then, and I like to think he's been pulling some strings for the Skins these last 7 games. :)

I'm sorry Matty. I can't fathom life without my father, even in his current state. I can't imagine the pain you've gone though. I don't know what your beliefs are, but I hope with all my heart you see him again.

Hail to the redskins!

Wow, that's wonderful, BHA.

I've lost a few family members to alzheimers and those late moments of clarity are times I treasure. When my second child was a month old we took her to visit my grandmother who was bed-ridden with Alzheimers and had changed from her loving, quiet self to an angry, confused person. For the hour we visited, she held my son, laughed with us, recalled memories from when my dad was a baby, and we all shed some tears together. She passed away a week later. I always treasure that visit.

I let my seven year-old boy stay up late with me to watch the game tonight, so your story is touching for me as a father, also. Thanks for sharing.

That is awesome BHA! I hope the game next week has positive results for you and your dad as well.

That's a great story. All the best to you and your dad.

Awesome awesome story man, I hope you and your pops enjoyed the victory as much as me. I am acutally from and live in Raleigh too, right in Cary. Hail!

Great story man. I watched with a father figure that's dear to me, my father in law and he's a diehard cowboys fan but he's always been there for me ever since moving to Oklahoma. But I wish u and your dad the best and httr!!

Much love BHA.

That is awesome BHA. My mom had alzheimers for years and it was painful to watch because I love her so much. She passed in April of 2010. Right after that my dad was diagnosed with dementia. It wasn't really a surprise...I had taken him to the hospital about a year before because of really strange behavior but he had some other problems and was under a lot of stress because of my mom and they pretty much chalked it up to that. Anyway...he passed away 2 months after my mom because he lost the will to live. One thing we never got tired of talking about was the Redskins. And my mom? Those rare moments when she did have some clarity made me feel like I had my mom back and were very precious to me because in a way I had lost her long ago. I know how it must have made you feel to experience that with your dad and I'm very happy for you.....and I do believe I'll see my parents again one day. They just got to go to where I want to go before I do. Thanks for sharing that man. I'm glad you and your dad got to have that time together.