1968 was the first year CJD raised its head in Charlie & Frances Wheeler’s descendants with their son Lewis Wheeler passing. Then in 1986, Joseph Menominee (grandchild) died in January and his brother Ronnie in December, with Frances’ nephew Clarence Kliber passing in August. Carl Wheeler (grandchild) died in 1991, Jerry Chodera (grandchild) in 1995, Rudy Menominee (Ronnie’s twin) passed in 2000, Dick Lewis (grandchild) in 2005, Sharon (Wheeler) Olson (grandchild) in September 2007 and Louis Wheeler (son of Lewis Wheeler) in December 2007, Leonard Wheeler (Sharon’s brother) in 2013, Tim Wheeler (another of Sharon’s brothers) in 2015, and Ellen (Wheeler) Mieseler (Sharon’s sister) in November 2019.

With such a large extended family, these are the ones we are aware of. There are some that are suspected of passing from CJD. Until 2007, CJD was kind of the family secret that was whispered about, probably in part because so little was known about it. Watching a loved go from being a fully functioning, independent adult to someone who can’t walk or put together a simple sentence in a matter of a few months or even just weeks is frightening.

Raising funds for the CJD Foundation helps our family support each other and raise awareness of CJD, not just within the family but everywhere. Please join us as we pay tribute to our loved ones on Saturday, October 3, 2020 during the 2020 Virtual Strides for CJD.