Mike Mallory is a 1981 graduate of Olmstead High School. He currently works in television at WPSD in Paducah and calls basketball games for WGKY in
Paducah. Mike and Jenny's sons Will (a senior), Alex (a junior), and Matt (a 3rd grader) go to Ballard Memorial, which went to the All-A state
tournament this year for the first time in school history.
Something was missing.
There were hugs all around. My oldest son had just hit two free throws with 0:18
left to clinch the All-A Regional title. My middle son had just led the team in
scoring and was about to be named to the All-Tournament team. They both
walked around the scorer's table to hug me as I was doing post-game on the
radio. Big, sweaty hugs while I was live on the air! Their little brother was running
all over the floor, showing off his "Waterboy" shirt and his Opie Taylor-like smile.
Their mom was making her way from the bleachers to join the celebration. But
something was missing.
It was one of my proudest moments as a parent and husband, but one of my saddest moments as a son. If all this had happened 10 years ago, my parents
would have made the trip from Olmstead. They would have been right there. Cheering. Celebrating. Bragging. There would have been lots of bragging; you
would not have found two more proud people in the gym. Unfortunately, this happened on January 23, 2010, and my mother died on April 19, 2009 of
complications from diabetes. And five years before her death, my father began showing the first symptoms of Alzheimer's.
Diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer's are insidious in so many ways. Diabetes robs the body of so many functions, and Alzheimer's robs the mind of so
many memories. Not just memories of the past, but memories being made at the moment. My dad went to a game at a Christmas tournament in Glasgow, but he
seemed uncomfortable and confused most of the game. A month later, we didn't even tell him that his grandsons were about to play in the biggest game of
their lives. It would have been pointless.
If someone from the American Diabetes Association or the Alzheimer's Association contacts you asking you to help, please consider it. I serve as
honorary chairman of the Memory Walk every year in Paducah. I tell anyone who will listen that they need to treasure their parents while they still
can. I pray for perspective and try to cherish the times I had with my parents, rather than lamenting times that we can't have together. And above all,
I try to enjoy the moments that Jenny and I have now with the boys. If these last few years have taught me anything, it's that championships, hugs,
memories, and life itself are all so fleeting.