Dudley actor pens moving film in tribute to Grandad
A young actor’s moving film about coming to terms with her grandad’s dementia diagnosis is creating a buzz on social media.
Rebecca Fuller’s homemade video has received more than 11,000 views on Twitter, and hundreds of views on Facebook and Instagram.
The 23-year-old, from Dudley, filmed herself reading a self-penned poem, which she posted earlier this year to mark what would have been her grandad Walter Hickling’s 96th birthday.
Rebecca said: “The poem is written from my perspective growing up, observing my grandad and our family go through his dementia and what it was like through the eyes of a child.
“It's based on my own experiences with my late grandad, a well-respected World War II veteran, and what I witnessed both him and my family go through."
Walter was a war hero who, having lied about his age to join the army, lost a leg after being blown up by an improvised explosive device.
He also devoted much of his spare time to charitable causes and for a while was a local president of the St John Ambulance and was instrumental in raising awareness and funding for a war memorial in Dudley town centre.
Rebecca added: “Grandad was a loving husband and father and an incredibly warm and generous grandfather to five grandchildren.
“He retained his cheeky, jovial attitude most of the time but did have occasional outbursts of frustration and acknowledgement of his confusion, which were difficult to manage.
“He lived with dementia for seven years and passed away in 2011 after falling into a coma, brought on by a brain bleed.”
Ken Oxley, Alzheimer’s Society spokesperson, said: “Rebecca’s incredibly moving and well put together film really communicates the world of confusion people living with dementia often find themselves in.
“She explains how her family coped by embracing her grandad’s reality, even if it didn’t match their own, and how they managed to put a smile on his face. I’d urge everyone to watch it.”
