© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WECS · WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM · WVOF
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

A woman struggling with early-onset Alzheimer's got a moment of grace while shopping

Joe Arrigoni is the full-time caretaker for his wife Joani who has early onset Alzheimer's disease.
Joe Arrigoni
Joe Arrigoni is the full-time caretaker for his wife Joani who has early onset Alzheimer's disease.

This story is part of the My Unsung Hero series, from the Hidden Brain team, about people whose kindness left a lasting impression on someone else.


In 2018, 51-year-old Joani Arrigoni was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease. For Joe Arrigoni, her husband and now full-time caregiver, it has tested the limits of his compassion and understanding.

Joe remembers one day in March of 2022 that was especially frustrating. That morning, Joani kept insisting that she needed to buy some new shoes – even though she already had many pairs at home.

After Joe got tired of arguing with her, he agreed to take her to the shoe store. When they arrived, Joani insisted on finding a salesperson.

"'So I'm like, alright, fine. You just go find an associate. I'm just going to sit down over here,'" Joe recalled.

Joani began to wander around the store. He didn't know where she went, but then he heard her voice.

"And she's talking to this salesperson that she found," he said. "I peek around the corner and I see them engage in this conversation."

The salesperson, whose name was Michelle, began by trying to take Joani's shoe size. She helped Joani remove her shoe, then asked her to place her foot on the measuring tool. But because of her impairment, Joani was having trouble following Michelle's directions. Instead of putting down her foot, she put down her hand.

"And Michelle says, 'That's okay, don't worry,'" Joe recalled. Michelle gently suggested that she simply put the tool under Joani's foot, and measure it while she was standing.

Then, Joe recalled, Michelle told Joani something he still thinks about today: that she could relate to Joani's mistake, because she herself lived with autism and anxiety.

"'Some things are difficult," Michelle told Joani. "I struggle, too."

For Joe, who had expected Michelle to be confused or frustrated by the experience, it was a moment of grace.

"When you're a full-time caregiver ... your level of compassion or hope can get depleted," he said.

"But when someone who themselves already has difficulty navigating our world is caring for your loved one, with more patience and compassion than you can muster ... it's beyond words," he said. "And it's a beautiful thing."

My Unsung Hero is also a podcast — new episodes are released every Tuesday. To share the story of your unsung hero with the Hidden Brain team, record a voice memo on your phone and send it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Laura Kwerel
[Copyright 2024 NPR]

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content