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  • Approved for CNN

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    Posted November 10, 2009 by
    nealmoore |
    Location
    Whiteville, Tennessee
    Assignment
    Assignment
    This iReport is part of an assignment:
    Neal Moore canoes the Mississippi

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    Skydiving into Alzheimer's

    By nealmoore  |  Posted November 10, 2009  |  Whiteville, Tennessee
     

    CNN PRODUCER NOTE     nealmoore met Beth while journeying across the Mississippi river. Here is another example of Beth realizing a dream on her list.
    - hhanks, CNN iReport producer

    Skydiving into Alzheimer's

     

    By NEAL MOORE

     

    WHITEVILLE, TN (CNN iReport)

     

    When Jay and Beth VanWinkle saw that their favorite actor, fellow Mississippian Morgan Freeman, was coming out with a new movie titled “The Bucket List”, Beth turned to Jay and said, “I’ve got to see that.” One year previous, Beth VanWinkle had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, and has been, as she puts it, “grasping for everything I could get [out of life – before it’s too late].”

     

    The film inspired Beth and Jay to write down a short list of ideas they wanted to accomplish before Beth permanently goes into, what she describes as her “cave” – a place where she will be in her very own world.

     

    Beth’s list included three things she had never before had the opportunity to do: 1) Meet actor Morgan Freeman; 2) Skydive out of an airplane; and 3) Have the opportunity to ride a horse.

     

    Three years later, Beth VanWinkle has now accomplished all three.

     

    In this report, we witness video of Beth VanWinkle, one year into her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, realizing her second dream – to jump out of an airplane.  Shot approximately two years ago in Western Tennessee, this footage – not shared with the media until now –  stands as a vivid affirmation of the necessity to both live for the moment and in so doing, realize our dreams.

     

    Video courtesy Jay and Beth VanWinkle

     

     

     

    To view my recent interview with Beth and Jay VanWinkle as well as an interview with Dr. Jo Ann O'Quin, please click here:  http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-349248

     

     

     

     

     

    Follow the journey…

     

    Blog: http://www.flashriversafari.com

     

    Foundation: http://www.creativevisions.org

     

    iReport: http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=321427

     

    Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mooreneal

     

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