When you play team sports and you’re on the field you depend on your teammates to carry you through
The same goes for the game of life.
For a Frisco man and his wife facing the toughest battle of their lives, his college football buddies are by their side, showing the same enduring bonds forged in the heat of competition can prove to be a lifeline in difficult times, decades down the road.
It’s been more than 40 years since Tim Gibbs, Xavier Warren, Rodney Young and suited up to play football together at the University of Tulsa at Oklahoma
Tim Gibbs said, “I remember when Marcus first came to Tulsa.
“I was on the offense, so I remember running into you two guys,” said Rodney Young.
After decades apart, they’re teaming up once again, reminiscing on the old and making new memories with former teammate, Marcus Anderson.
“Remember that Mustang Marcus used to have? Riding around the city, man?
Good old days. These days, Anderson can’t drive. He can barely speak.
“I’ve only heard him say my name maybe once in the last four or five months,” said Deborah Anderson, Marcus’ wife.
At 61 years old, Anderson is seven years into living with early-onset Alzheimer’s. His wife says for many, the devastating diagnosis is isolating. Regular visits from his former teammates keep them lifted.
And I am just greatly and deeply appreciative of their brotherhood, their friendship. They consistently show up. When you find friends like that who are that supportive and just loyal, then that’s rare.
And so is her husband’s diagnosis.
Deb described her husband as always being articulate, awesome and witty. She says she first noticed something was off when he was applying for jobs and struggled to talk about his career of 30 years
“His memory, his recollection wasn’t very clear,’ Deb said.
She called the doctor. Eight months later a spinal tap discovered the presence of the tau protein, which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease
“He was 53. It was difficult to take in,” she said.
Anderson’s cognitive abilities declined quickly and in 2021, they left Indiana for Texas, where they found more resources and memory care facilities. Deb balances full-time work with her most important job her husband’s advocate.
“When you say your vows, well, the minute you get the diagnosis and live this, that’s what those vows mean. And so, I really take that to heart and feel great that I’m able to support him the way that do,” she said.
She works to spread awareness and helps to moderate an online group of more than 1600 wives of people diagnosed as early as their 30s and 40s. The organization, We Walk This Together, helps spouses navigate challenging diagnoses and find additional support.
“All of the different ways your life changes the instant you learn that that’s what your loved one is suffering from. The impact is very broad, and I think there needs to be more policy discussion, more government interaction, discussions about Medicare and ways to support families with this diagnosis,” said Deb.
She says anyone who notices something is slightly off with the way their loved one communicates should get them checked out and consider seeing a neurologist. While she can’t point to a specific cause, Anderson broke his neck in college, and she questions if the injury is in any way connected to his condition.
“He did break his neck, last 40 seconds of a football game, his senior year in college. And I do believe that most likely his diagnosis is attributed to that,” she said.
“There is a link between sports-related injuries and Alzheimer’s. And there really was no follow-up,” she said.
Researchers from a team in Dallas conducted a study and published results on the potential for brain injuries to boost the risk of Alzheimer’s in younger people.
But that memory is bittersweet. After falling out of touch after high school they only reconnected when Deb heard about the accident.
“So, had he not had that misfortune on the field, we would not have the beautiful family that we have,” she said.
After 32 years of making memories, raising two boys and welcoming 3 grandchildren, When Deb was no longer able to care for her husband at home, she brought her husband’s man cave to his room in the memory care facility.
“His love and admiration for Muhammad Ali reminds me of his fight that he’s in right now,” she said, pointing to framed posters of sports icons on his walls.
These days, Deb visits her husband every day for lunch.
Andy thanks to football, they have lifelong friends who are now part of Deb’s team. Together, their goal is to give Anderson the best quality of life they can, for as long as he lives.
“We just accept him where he is and his new normal every day as it comes,” said Warren.
He’s living. He’s here with us. I treasure every moment we have. I don’t want him to be forgotten,’ said Deb.
One way Deb hoping to honor her husband and spread awareness of Alzheimer’s is to sell his beloved MGB.
Anderson is a car enthusiast, but due to his condition, he can no longer drive the 1979 British sports car he bought after he graduated from college.
Deb hopes to connect with the Gas Monkey Foundation to sell it. Proceeds help the foundation support Alzheimer’s research.
