Samuel Valverde is a U.S. Army veteran and a retired police officer who was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease in 2022. He now serves on the Alzheimer's Association Early-Stage Advisory Group, which brings the voices of individuals living with dementia to the national forefront. Samuel resides in New Braunfeld, Texas, with his wife and care partner, Heather.
Tell us about your experience in the U.S. Army. Why did you pursue a career in the military?
As long as I can remember, growing up I dreamed of being a soldier and a police officer. I enlisted in the Army during my senior year of high school in 1988. I was from a small town in Texas, and I was ready to go — I was very ambitious, and I was ready to move on.
I was initially in the military for four years, and I reenlisted for two more years. I was stationed in Germany, and then I was deployed with the 1-35 Armored Tank Battalion in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. After that, I was stationed in Texas.
Veterans Day is Nov. 11. Why is this day important to you?
Our veterans sacrifice a lot. They served our country, and we need to take time to recognize them in the 11th hour, on the 11th day, in the 11th month. It's important to recognize their sacrifice.
What impact did your military service have on you?
The war did something to me. I knew something was not right, but I just didn't want that stigma. But my parents saw it, so I went to the VA and they noticed there was something wrong. They said I had concussions or head injuries on the tests, but there was never any follow-up.
When you come back from war and you have all your limbs, you assume you're fine. It took me a long time to understand that's not the case, but I didn't want to take up space from the people who I saw at the VA who had injuries. So it took me years to get a diagnosis of PTSD and depression.
You were diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer's in 2022. What were some of the first symptoms you noticed?
I'm normally a high-functioning person, and I noticed that I was making mistakes that were unusual. I would miss appointments, I would miss court dates. I would miss details in reports. My wife also noticed, and fortunately she got me into the VA again, where I was hospitalized. I met with a psychologist who noticed that it was not just PTSD, it was something else. She noticed that my speech was not where it was supposed to be, that I was struggling to come up with words.
We met with a neurologist, and I got a PET scan. We were playing phone tag with the doctor, so we looked up my medical records online through the VA. We saw that the PET scan results were abnormal and indicative of younger-onset Alzheimer's. We were in shock — we didn't think that was us. It took us months to finally get answers from a neurologist, and she explained everything.
What was your and Heather's reaction to the diagnosis?
I have a strong relationship with Jesus Christ, and I know that all of our days are numbered. So I might have been devastated, but I was more concerned for my wife because she took it really hard. Heather was devastated. She was curious to know, "Where do we go from here? What phase of the disease is he in?" So my neurologist forwarded us to the Alzheimer's Association. We reached out to the Association, and things changed so much for us. They offer so many resources. The Association is incredible.
How has the Alzheimer's Association supported you?
I was a little bit hesitant at first because I'm not good with group therapy and things like that. But I got involved with the Association, and I have a support group that is remarkable. It's motivating because the people in the support group think of things bigger than themselves — this disease does not define you.
I was a police officer for 14 years and in the military. I'm a service-oriented person. So when I was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer's, I wanted to educate myself as much as possible and battle it. That's what the Association does. It propelled me because of the people involved who are out spreading awareness.
What do you hope to accomplish as a member of the Association's Early-Stage Advisory Group?
I want to do my part in contributing to awareness of the disease and of research. I have younger-onset Alzheimer's, meaning you're younger than age 65. I think people may look at me and think I'm a healthy looking person, but they don't see the symptoms.
I've been to two Walk to End Alzheimer's events, and I look forward to going to AAIC Advancements: Exploring Equity in Diagnosis, a research conference in Chicago. I have a lot of hope because there are people who are doing research, and they're doing everything they can. I'm looking forward to the day that there is no dementia, and I'm really encouraged by what I see.
Have other veterans supported you through your Alzheimer's journey?
Yes, I was going through a program for PTSD, and a lot of the people involved are veterans. You can apply the principles they teach to a lot of different issues. I was diagnosed halfway through the program. I was devastated, but I couldn't have been in a better place because I was dealing with trauma. I have met wonderful people and veterans through the program.
November is National Family Caregivers Month. What message would you like to share with Heather and other caregivers?
Hats off to care partners because they are the unsung heroes. I can't do my medication, my wife has to do it. She has to make all the appointments. She has to do all that stuff and then some. Alzheimer's is something nobody asked for. It just falls on your lap, and there's no right or wrong way to handle it. It's a battle because your significant other is seeing you decline, and you can't do what you could normally do.
My heart goes out to all of the caregivers. They are just golden. We need to do as much as we can to acknowledge them and value them.
What advice would you give to someone who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease?
I would encourage people to live your life. Educate yourself, find out as much as you can. This disease motivates me to find a cure, spread awareness and further research.