The Thousand Mile Stare

When most members of the Reiswig family reach their 40's, they develop "the thousand mile stare"—a gaze into the distance, as though they are trying to locate some vital, lost piece of themselves. Interweaving cutting-edge medical science with a poignant family chronicle, The Thousand Mile Stare is the true story of one Midwestern family's discovery that it carries a unique gene for Early Onset Alzheimer's. Each family member—afflicted or not—finds a way to meet this challenge, whether through faith or a desire to understand the science behind the illness. When most members of the Reiswig family reach their 40's, something in their demeanor changes. An aunt puts ice trays into the stove instead of the freezer. A normally responsible father assigns a dangerous farm chore to a much-too-young son. A vigilant grandfather drives in front of an oncoming train. And they all develop what the author calls "the thousand mile stare"—a wistful, blank gaze into the distance, as though they are trying to locate some vital piece of themselves that has been lost. As the Reiswigs face a destructive genetic legacy, they play an important role in the discovery of a key genetic marker for Alzheimer's, give valuable testimony to Congress that influences research and scientific development, and learn to understand each other and the debilitating disease that both bonds them together and tears them apart. From the author's story of his ancestral roots in a small German town, to Dr. Alois Alzheimer's discovery of the disease, to the Reiswig's triumphs and tragedies on their Oklahoma farm, to a modern-day Congressional hearing room, this book offers profound insight into the devastating world of Alzheimer's, and hope for the development of a cure.