Country legend Glen Campbell will be widely remembered by music fans for well-known radio hits as “Rhinestone Cowboy.” But to advocates for people with dementia, his greatest legacy is his bold decision to become the very public face of Alzheimer’s disease.
Campbell died Tuesday at the age of 81, after a six-year battle with Alzheimer’s, his publicist Sandy Brokaw announced.
The announcement prompted a spate of tributes from mental health advocates who hailed Campbell, his wife Kimberly, and family for bravely revealed his Alzheimer’s diagnosis before embarking on a final “Goodbye Tour” that was documented in the award-winning documentary “I’ll Be Me.”
The film is an unflinching portrayal of the progression of Campbell’s disease on the tour, which had to be short.
Since then, Campbell and his family continued to advocate on behalf of the cause, sharing his story on Capitol Hill and speaking out on behalf of the 5.5 million
