Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker and More Raise Money for Alzheimer’s Association

Brad Paisley’s wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, joined radio host Blair Garner in hosting the 2nd annual Dance Party to End Alz, raising more than $340,000 for Alzheimer’s Association care, support and research programs.

The celebs were joined by a star-studded list of performers, who performed famous ’80s hits while dressed in ’80s clothes. Paisley sang “Boys of Summer” and “Hot for Teacher; Chris Young sang “You Dropped a Bomb on Me”; Lindsay Ell performed “Another One Bites the Dust”; High Valley sang “Everybody Have Fun Tonight,” and Darius Rucker joined Paisley in singing “Purple Rain.”

“I’m here tonight because of my mom who had Alzheimer’s and my entire family who went through the experience with her. We lost my mom 2016 and since then I’ve connected with so many people affected by this disease,” Williams-Paisley said of the event. “Unfortunately, people with Alzheimer’s and those around them feel the stigma associated with this disease, and that keeps people from having important conversations and sharing their story to bring Alzheimer’s and other dementias out of the shadows.

“Together, all of us here in this room – each and every one of us – we are changing the world by imagining a world without Alzheimer’s disease,” she continued, “and by supporting the Alzheimer’s Association.”

Williams-Paisley’s mother, Linda Williams, passed away in 2016, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. The struggle impacted the entire family, which is what made Williams-Paisley an outspoken advocate for research and support for those affected by the illness. She also penned the book, Where the Light Gets In, about how her own personal journey with her mother’s disease.

“As I was writing, it was so important to me to tell that ‘light’ part of it, to share the lessons that I have learned and the blessings that I have found in this tragedy because that idea applies to anything in life,” Williams-Paisley told Read It Forward. “Any time you go through a challenge, there is an opportunity for growth or for compassion. Any time you face something really challenging, there’s a chance to find humor, to find joy, to find a surprising positive side to it. I really wanted to capture that in this story. I didn’t want it to be a downer the whole time, because it isn’t for me.

“There are a lot of positives that have come out of this entire experience, even the unexpected things during the course of the journey, like my mother being delightful at times and being really uninhibited and passionate and joyful with my kids,” she continued. “These took me by surprise! I wasn’t expecting that, so I wanted readers to know it is not all bad. Even the worst circumstances in life are not all bad. You can always find some glimmer of light in it.”

Find out more information about the Alzheimer’s Association by visiting their website.