Jim Rodgers is not the kind of man to back away from life—even when life throws the hardest curveballs. At 58, Jim is facing young-onset Alzheimer’s, but instead of shrinking into silence, he’s stepping forward with honesty, humor, and heart.
His journey hasn’t been easy. In fact, it’s been marked by profound loss and unexpected love. Jim’s first great love, Lorna, passed away from cancer when their three children were just toddlers. Left shattered, Jim threw himself into being a “super dad,” holding it all together during the day and grieving behind closed doors.
Then came Tyler.
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They met, almost magically, poolside on a trip meant to ease Jim’s pain. Sparks flew, but so did doubts. Jim had responsibilities. He was a widower with kids. And he’d never imagined falling in love with a man. But Tyler wasn’t going anywhere—and fate quite literally knocked on Jim’s door when the house next to his went up for sale that same day. Within six months, Tyler was not just a neighbor, but family.
Still, coming out wasn’t easy. For years, Tyler was simply “Dad’s best friend.” But eventually, truth and love won out. The family made a fresh start in Sydney, and Jim and Tyler married in a beautiful old abbey. Their children—Millie, Harvey, and Daisy—now grown with families of their own, have come to see Tyler as their father’s anchor and saving grace.
That bond became even more vital after a visit to the memory clinic revealed what Jim had feared. Simple mistakes had been piling up—repeating conversations, forgetting names, fumbling over his phone. At 55, he was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s.
“I thought I was staring into a black hole,” Jim admits. He gave himself one weekend to mourn. On Monday, he started fighting.
Now living in Brisbane, Jim swims daily, eats well, practices yoga, and—most importantly—talks openly. He co-hosts the Hold the Moment podcast with journalist Hamish Macdonald, who lost his father to dementia. Together, they share stories of resilience, challenge stigma, and remind listeners that joy and meaning don’t end with diagnosis.
For Jim, Alzheimer’s hasn’t stopped life—it’s just changed the pace. And in that slower rhythm, he’s found a new appreciation for the little things: his husband’s hand in his, time with his grandkids, laughter with his children. The family cottage in the hinterlands is fittingly named “Forget-Me-Not.”
“Dementia isn’t all doom and gloom,” Jim says. “I’m so full of life—and full of love.”
REFERENCE: Australian Story