High school choir director with dementia taken in by old student.

Thirty-five years after being in Marty Hayes’ high school choir class, ex-student Carolyn James decided to drop in on her old teacher for a visit.

James describes Hayes as having been a potent influencer in her classmates’ lives, always going out of her way to make pupils feel cared for, and motivating them each to discover their own potential.

Upon her visit, James sadly discovered that her once favorite teacher, now in her 70’s, wasn’t doing so well. Unknown to them, Hayes was suffering from the early stages of Lewy Body Dementia. She would often momentarily forget how to perform certain tasks, and frequently found herself disorientated.

James was devastated by her former teacher’s condition, so she and her husband began helping Hayes pay for medical consultations and bills. Within the next three years, Hayes’ health worsened – she began experiencing difficulty with her memory and motor functions. After the news of her LBD diagnosis, the Jameses decided to take her into their home and give her the full-time care she required.

Hayes, with no children of her own, treated her students like family. James sees her actions as paying back her old teacher for the years of inspiration she provided. She and her husband started a fund, “We Are Her Kids”, to raise money for Hayes’ care. Other former students have chipped in to help, and still visit Hayes, who, despite it all, still harbors a bond with her students, as well as a love of music.

Photos courtesy of Carolyn James.