Bud Conlin is a retired elementary school principal. Marta Bonatz is a retired national sales manager who spent 30 years with DuPont. Both now live in Key Largo and share more than just a ZIP code; each lost their father to Alzheimer’s disease.
“He was undiagnosed for many years and that was a real struggle, because we clearly knew that he wasn’t capable of taking care of himself and taking his meds and things like that,” recalled Bonatz of her late father.
“We started noticing things were not right in the mid-1990s,” said Conlin of the first time he realized something was off with his father. “I remember registering at a hotel for a family reunion and he couldn’t remember his address.” From that point, things continued to go downhill.
“He steadily deteriorated over time,” recalled Conlin. He said his father, Francis Conlin Sr., who was always a gentle and sweet man, started to become agitated and aggressive.
Francis Conlin Sr. died in 2004 at the age of 83. Although never officially diagnosed, it is strongly suspected he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
After years of searching for a diagnosis in his hometown of Terre Haute, Indiana, Bonatz’s father, Robert Hilton Sr., was finally diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease when he moved to Melbourne, Florida. A few years after that diagnosis, in 2024, he passed away at the age of 88.
Robert Hilton Sr. was one of eight children. His oldest brother and oldest sister also succumbed to the disease.
“He and his siblings who got to be over the age of 80 had Alzheimer’s and died from complications of Alzheimer’s,” said Bonatz.
Both Conlin and Bonatz are passionate about raising awareness for Alzheimer’s research, and plan to join over 100 participants at the second annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s taking place at Founders Park in Islamorada on Saturday, Dec. 14.
This will be Kara Biery’s second year chairing the walk, which continues to grow.
“Right now, we have surpassed last year,” said Biery of the $34,000 raised so far.
Biery decided to organize the walk last year when she was working in senior care at Oasis in the Keys Nursing and Rehab center in Islamorada. She said she didn’t see a lot of resources available in the Upper Keys community for people living with or affected by dementia.
“The initial plan was to have just a very small walk, where people just kind of walked around a building and showed support and raised a couple hundred dollars and then that vision took on a life of its own and has become this,” said Biery.
Alzheimer’s disease has been described as a public health crisis.
“Rates of dementia are increasing and the prices associated with care are staggering, so raising money and awareness through the walks is the main way to be able to raise funds needed towards eventually coming up with a cure and continuing research,” said Biery.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, roughly 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s or dementia and more than 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for a family member or friend with dementia.
The Alzheimer’s Association provides a free around the clock hotline to help those struggling with the disease and also offers caregiver support groups.
Bud Conlin and Marta Bonatz say there is hope when it comes to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s; they see progress being made every day.
“They are making real headway with effective treatments,” said Conlin. “If it can be caught early, in a lot of cases there are infusions that really have potential,” he added.
“Along with the treatment, which I think has made great progress, the other thing that’s so important is the diagnosis and they’ve made great strides in that,” added Bonatz.
Conlin has put together a team for the walk called Warriors for a Cure. Bonatz named her team after her father, Bob’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
There is still time to register for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Dec. 14. The walk will take place at Founders Park located at 87000 Overseas Highway in Islamorada. The event begins at 8 a.m. Presenting sponsors include The Florida Mortgage Lab and Miami’s Best Blinds.
To register or to make a donation, head to act.alz.org/floridakeys. Organizers say every dollar raised benefits the care, support and research of the Alzheimer’s Association.
“It doesn’t matter whose team you’re on, just show up and you’ll have a good time,” said Conlin. “Everybody needs to register whether you donate money or not. It’s not a sad event, it’s a happy celebration,” he added.
