'Devastated' husband who lost wife to early onset dementia completes her bucket list

A heartbroken husband is ticking off the final item on his late wife’s bucket list by taking on a trek to Bhutan for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

For Steve Boryszczuk, trekking across the Himalayas for charity will not only be a physical feat to raise funds for vital dementia research, but a challenge of great significance to him emotionally.

He lost his wife Michelle at the age of just 43 to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, and has been ticking items off her bucket list ever since. The trek to Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom in Asia on the Himalayas’ eastern edge, was her final wish.

In 2013, Steve gave up his job as a lorry driver to look after Michelle full time, but became exhausted after looking after her for four years, and she moved into The Elms Care Home in Louth, Lincolnshire.

He said: “It was absolutely devastating for me, it still is, I was distraught. I’ll miss her for the rest of my life, she was my whole world. I just hope she’d be proud of everything I’m doing for her in her memory. I’m going to make the most of every wonderful second on that walk, because I know she would have done.”

Hiding post in case 'someone stole it'

For Steve, it was love at first sight when the pair met at a darts night at their local pub when they were just 15 and 17. When Michelle turned 16 the pair got married, and they went on to have two sons shortly after.

The pair planned to travel the world once their two children were both old enough to leave home, with Michelle making detailed plans of their future adventure.

However, she died from dementia before she could fulfil her dream, after being diagnosed at just 38 as one of the youngest people in the country to have the condition.

Michelle began showing symptoms of the condition when she was 36, after Steve found her hiding the post ‘in case someone stole it’, and she was found wandering around lost and confused by a neighbour.

Time to move on

Since her death, Steve has taken on the Great Wall of China, the Yorkshire Three Peaks, the Inca Trail in Peru, the Isle of Wight’s 65-mile coastal path, Hadrian’s Wall, Costa Rica coast to coast, including climbing the country’s highest volcano, and finally he will be walking to Bhutan.

Setting off on Friday 20 October, Steve and his friend Tony Butler will trek 100km over 10 days and will reach heights of 13,000ft.

Steve said: "In every place I go on Michelle’s bucket list I get permission to lay a little brass plaque dedicated to her in her memory. In Costa Rica I left a plaque behind a waterfall in the rainforest, in Peru on a stone at over 10,000ft above sea level, and this will be my final one to leave.

"I got emotional doing every single one of these trips without her. Now it’s coming to an end I’m going to be even more emotional. It signifies a time for me to move on, but I’ll never let her memory die. I’ll keep fighting for more awareness, and for the need for more research into this devastating disease."

Michelle worked in a home for disadvantaged children, and according to Steve, enjoyed acting, painting, gardening and walking.

"I miss her every day," he said "and I just hope my fundraising for Alzheimer’s Research UK can help us get one step closer to finding a cure so no one has to go through what we went through as a family."

'Dementia turns lives and families upside down'

Tim Parry, director at Alzheimer’s Research UK, commented: "We can’t thank Steve enough for sharing his family’s heartbreaking experience to raise awareness of dementia and vital dementia research.

"Michelle’s story is a perfect challenge to the prevailing misconception that dementia is just forgetfulness in old age. The condition is caused by brain diseases which turn lives and families upside down, and which no one currently survives.

"Alzheimer’s Research UK is leading the fightback to bring an end to the fear, harm and heartbreak of dementia through world-class research projects across the UK and beyond. Our scientists’ pioneering work is only possible because of our dedicated supporters like Steve."

To donate to Steve’s fundraising page, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/steve-boryszczuk5

click here for more details or to contact The Elms Care Home