Richard Cotter
Bonnie Cotter
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Bonnie Cotter
This story is part of the My Unsung Hero series, by The Hidden Brain Team. He presents stories of people whose kindness has left a lasting impression on someone else.
When Paul Cotter’s father Richard was 52 years old, he was dismissed from his work in a large printing company.
“He was very without ceremony,” recalls Cotter. “It was fundamentally,” keep your keys, you’ve finished. “”
Richard Cotter had been in the company for over 30 years, rising in the ranks of the entry -level to management.
But he had become clear to everyone that he had trouble making decisions. Before, Richard Cotter was known for his sharp mind. Now he has become overwhelmed by the slightest pressure.
No one suspected the underlying reason: cognitive decline due to early Alzheimer’s disease. It was in 1975, before Alzheimer’s current conscience, and even his doctor did not suspect trouble. Everyone supposed it was a crisis of confidence.
“He was told that he had to pull himself together,” recalls the young Cotter. “My father, as you can imagine, felt completely humiliated.”
In the coming years, Cotter’s father has lost his job after work. Then, when Richard Cotter was 58 years old, he was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Paul Cotter remembers that his father was horrified by the diagnosis.
“But I imagine that he also felt a certain feeling of relief,” said Paul Cotter. “Finally, there was an explanation of his decline. And despite everything, he always wanted to continue working.”
This is where the unknown hero of Paul Cotter intervened. He was not a single person, but a whole business. The youngest Cotter does not remember his name but says that it was a small architectural company or engineering in his hometown of Buffalo, NY
Richard Cotter, seen here a few weeks after receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Paul Cotter
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Paul Cotter
When Cotter’s father applied for work, he revealed his diagnosis and the limits that accompanied him. But the company has always offered him the position – manage small tasks like making copies.
“They gave him a pay check, which made him feel necessary and appreciated,” said Cotter. “But more than just work, they gave him respect, dignity and a sense of goal at a time when his life collapses.”
The disease continued to progress. Finally, his father had trouble keeping his balance, and one day, he fell from a small stepfather. It was clear that it was no longer sure for him to continue working.
The company said Parents from Cotter that with a deep regret, it would be necessary to let his father leave. The last day of his father at work, his colleagues organized a goodbye to him to thank him for his service.
“What a beautiful remarkable gesture it was,” said Cotter.
The three brothers and sisters of Cotter always talk about the compassion of the company for their father. They wish to be able to say to their father’s colleagues how this generosity has noted for their family, all these years later.
“If I could see them today, I would say thank you from the bottom of my heart,” said Cotter. “Your kindness during my father’s last chapter will never be forgotten.”
My little -known hero is also a podcast – New episodes are published every Tuesday. To share the story of your little-known hero with the Hidden Brain team, save a vocal memo on your phone and send it to myunsungherro@hiddenbrain.org.
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