- April 24, 2024
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A 9-year-old J.R. Ward could only watch as his stepfather’s mother slowly started to forget.
She was suffering from Alzheimer’s, and for 10 years, Ward quietly and patiently observed how his stepfather, Gary Jackson, cared for her until the very end.
It taught him a valuable lesson. One he keeps close to his heart to this very day.
“It just kind of showed me true dedication, love and mental toughness,” said Ward, whose grandfather also died from Alzheimer’s in March 2017. “It showed me what it takes to be a true caregiver.”
At age 35, Ward — who moved to Palm Coast from Chattanooga, Tennessee, nearly seven years ago — is now a home health specialist for Kindred at Home, a health care business that provides nursing services and rehabilitative therapy in their clients’ homes. Ward spends most of his time in assisted-living homes and mental health facilities caring for people afflicted with Alzheimer's, dementia and other illnesses.
But now, however, Ward has found a new way to give back — through music.
Ward broke into the music scene almost 2 1/2 years ago playing at local restaurants and has opened shows for audiences all across the South. He was recently signed by Organic Records.
“It’s always something I’ve wanted to do my whole life,” Ward said. “It’s my secret passion.”
The songs he writes come from his experiences. His most recent song, “Ready to Go,” was inspired from his time spent in assisted living homes caring for Alzheimer’s patients.
“We want to do something great with this,” Ward said. “It’s cool that there’s something positive that we can celebrate. There’s so much negativity right now. We need something positive to get behind. ... It's about giving back.”
