Brad Paisley’s Wife's New Book Offers Hope to Those Suffering from Dementia

Globally, dementia affects 36 million people.About 10% of people develop the disorder at some point in their lives. About 3% of people between the ages of 65-74 have dementia, 19% between 75 and 84 and nearly half of those over 85 years of age. Wife of country music superstar Brad Paisley, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, is releasing a new book Where the Light Gets In: Losing My Mother Only to Find Her Again, a memoir about her mother's battle with dementia.

Filled with lots of heartwarming stories, this book ought to be a great pastoral asset to those with families facing dementia. The book, releasing April 5, chronicles Williams' mother Linda's illness from its early onset at the age of 62 through present day, walking through the ups and downs of the painful journey of Williams-Paisley watching her mother gradually lose her ability to write, speak and even recognize members of her family.

According to Williams-Paisley's site, it shares how she, her father and two siblings educated themselves, tried to let go of shame and secrecy, made mistakes and found unexpected humor and grace in the midst of suffering.

As the memoir's subtitle suggests, Williams-Paisley shares an honest look at how she learned to deal with the tragic loss of who her mother was, and re-connect and love the person her mother became. The touching story has been commended by many well-known figures in pop culture, as most people have known someone to be affected by dementia.

"Generous, human, and healing; that's what this book is. Kimberly Williams-Paisley has invited us into her life and her family so that we may know ourselves better. By sharing her story with such vulnerability and honesty, she makes it accessible to everyone, with or without a personal connection to dementia," Nashville star Connie Britton shares. "Through it, I had the experience of seeing my own family differently, understanding my desire to love more, and connecting deeply to my own stories of illness, grief, compassion, empathy, and redemption."

Williams-Paisley is best-known for her acting roles in the Father of the Bride movies and Nashville. Behind the scenes she has been dealing with the devastating disease and its repercussions for years. 

 

 

 

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