As most of you may know, Lee passed away last July (7-6-24) after a brief but brutal battle with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a rare and devastating neurodegenerative disorder with no known cure or treatment.
Early 2024, Lee had just finished his last project and was impatiently waiting for summer to arrive. He was looking forward to spending time with his girls and enjoying the slower pace of retirement.
Although in hindsight, there may have been earlier symptoms, they were, as often the case with CJD, easily attributed to more obvious reasons: new glasses, May grey, new routines. We had no idea that a fuse had been lit and we were running out of time.
CJD looks a little different for everyone based on what part of the brain is affected first. For Lee, CJD rapidly reduced and then robbed him of his mobility. In two weeks, he went from riding his bike to no longer being able to walk. We are grateful that he was able to communicate a little longer. Lee's battle lasted less than a month.
This year, we will walk to raise awareness about CJD. We also hope to raise money to support the work of the CJD Foundation: research, education, and coming alongside families. We also will walk in honor of Lee.
Lee was an athlete and an adventurer having lived and worked in multiple states. He was a skilled photographer always with a camera in hand, and a craftsman able to make or fix anything. Lee brought a little magic to our lives.
We miss Lee: husband, dad, brother, uncle, and friend. We miss his stories about growing with his brothers in Connecticut where pet crows and raccoons were par for the course. We miss hearing about his coast to coast adventures. We miss the adventures that will not be taken and the stories that will never be told. We miss the daily surf and weather reports, walks together with the dogs, and the best ever barbecued tri tip. We also miss the quiet times, reading in the backyard, watching the sunset, and warm hugs that let you know you were loved and safe.
