After retiring in 2015, my career arc took a most dramatic turn on Friday, May 5, 2023. I was by myself at home at my desk when I received the results of a lumbar puncture test from Massachusetts General Hospital indicating that I had Alzheimer’s. I quickly went online and learned that my two disease biomarkers were terrible. My Amyloid Plaque/Tau Index ratio was less than half of what it should be, and my “Tau Tangles” were actually off the chart. Needless to say, the diagnosis was hugely upsetting and vastly depressing. Alzheimer’s was what I feared most in life.Thankfully and surprisingly, my being upset did not last long. I awoke one morning and had a new purpose in life – working to fight Alzheimer’s and help others with it. This includes helping end the stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s and helping those with or worried about getting the disease to be open about their situation and to take appropriate action to deal with it. With that new purpose and knowing I was doing most of what can to help slow the disease, I have faith and hope that I’ll be OK for a long while.I am looking forward to helping others in a variety of ways. This includes talking and writing about my own experience, which I’ve been fortunate to have opportunities to do. Typical is giving an August 2023 Zoom talk and discussion with my Yale 1965 class entitled “Alzheimer’s: A Classmate’s Story of Hope.” In terms of writing, in October 2023, Squash Magazine published my article “Squash: A Game for All Ages” in which I discuss the role that squash played in my learning I had Alzheimer’s and how playing squash is one of the best ways to slow its progress (see my Publications for links). A key point I stress is the importance of taking action early on and how critical it is to put one’s affairs in order to make life easier for caregivers and oneself.One of the ways I’ve become involved is volunteer work with three Alzheimer’s organizations. I’m in a lifelong study with the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, where I’m a Research Ambassador. With the Mass/NH chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, I serve on its NE Early-Stage Advisory Group. And I’m on the Ariadne Labs Dementia Solutions Advisory Council at Brigham & Women's Hospital.In many respects my life is extremely rich, full, and meaningful. Strangely enough, I would actually say I’m as happy as I’ve ever been. Alzheimer’s has a way of helping one live in the present and appreciating every moment of that present! I have much for which to be thankful.