An out-of-towner contacted the newspaper through the “Have a story for us?” option on our website. He wrote about a former Cornwall resident bicycling across the nation. We pictured a recent college graduate pedaling cross country before settling into a job. Our notion was completely wrong.
Robert Wolfe graduated from Cornwall in 1973. Do the arithmetic, and you realize he’s about 60. And the trip wasn’t a final “hurrah,” before settling into an easier lifestyle. It was a mission to pay tribute to his parents, while raising money and awareness for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Alzheimer’s Disease.
You may not be familiar with PSP. Mr. Wolfe’s sister, Jamie Lohr, does a good job of describing it. “Our mother’s disease was an especially cruel blow,” she writes. “We really didn’t know what was wrong at first. She seemed to giggle uncontrollably at times, and she would fall over — when she was riding her bicycle, walking or reaching for something. She couldn’t comprehend values. For example, she couldn’t tell the difference between $25 and $2,500. The numbers held no meaning for her.”
After many years, the diagnosis was PSP. She survived to age 67, at which time she could no longer communicate, follow with her eyes, walk, stand, eat or swallow.
Her husband, who had taken care of her, remarried after her death. But became a victim of Alzheimer’s Disease and passed away in February of this year.
Rob’s journey across America started in late July. Many of his former Cornwall classmates have been monitoring his progress. “It’s been great fun,” his sister writes, “following him through the dry Southwest, over the Rocky Mountains, and now onto the prairies of Kansas. Our brother James is supporting Rob’s ride, leap-frogging the route with a camping trailer, to get Rob in out of the sun, … and provide him with a shelter and a bed at night.”
To keep up with Rob Wolfe as he pedals across the nation, you can visit the Facebook page, “PSP Alzheimer’s Bike Ride Across America.” If you wish, you can use that page to make a donation.”
