TO A
TRIBUTE TO CHUCK'S BATTLE
AGAINST
ALZEMEIMER'S DISEASE
CHARTON HESTON ANNOUNCED ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2002 THAT HE HAD A NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER WHOSE SYMPTOMS ARE CONSISTENT WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. 'HESTON-FANS' AND THE FILM INDUSTRY WERE GREATLY SADDEN BY THIS NEWS!
AS FANS OF MR. HESTON--WE EXTEND OUR HOPES, THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO CHUCK AND HIS FAMILY DURING HIS BATTLE WITH THIS ILLNESS. THIS PAGE AND LINK BELOW ARE OUR TRIBUTE TO HIM AND MANY OTHERS WHO ARE AFFLICTED WITH THIS DISEASE.
YOU MAY SEND MESSAGES OF SUPPORT TO CHUCK AT THE E-MAIL ADDRESS BELOW:
***MAKE SURE TO PUT IN THE SUBJECT LINE:
TO CHARLTON HESTON
***PLEASE READ THE NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT BELOW AND CHUCK'S PERSONAL ADDRESS CONCERNING HIS ILLNESS***
Heston Battling Neurological Disorder
(BY: E! Online News )
Charlton Heston--the tough-as-nails Hollywood icon who won a Best Actor
Oscar as a rebellious slave in Ben-Hur, battled damn, dirty apes in Planet of
the Apes and parted the Red Sea as Moses in The Ten Commandments--is facing his
toughest challenge yet.
In a bombshell announcement Friday, the 78-year-old actor and activist
announced he had "a neurological disorder whose symptoms are consistent with
Alzheimer's disease."
***Please read Mr. Heston's news statement below:
My Dear Friends, Colleagues and Fans:
"My physicians have recently told me I may have a neurological
disorder whose symptoms are consistent with Alzheimer's disease.
So... I wanted to prepare a few words for you now, because when the
time comes, I may not be able to.
I've lived my whole life on the stage and screen before you. I've
found purpose and meaning in your response. For an actor there's no
greater loss than the loss of his audience. I can part the Red Sea,
but I can't part with you, which is why I won't exclude you from this
stage in my life.
For now, I'm not changing anything. I'll insist on work when I can;
the doctors will insist on rest when I must. If you see a little less
spring in my step, if your name fails to leap to my lips, you'll know
why. And if I tell you a funny story for the second time, please
laugh anyway.
I'm neither giving up nor giving in. I believe I'm still the fighter
that Dr. King and JFK and Ronald Reagan knew, but it's a fight I must
someday call a draw. I must reconcile courage and surrender in equal
measure. Please feel no sympathy for me. I don't. I just may be a
little less accessible to you, despite my wishes.
I also want you to know that I'm grateful beyond measure. My life has
been blessed with good fortune. I'm grateful that I was born in
America, that cradle of freedom and opportunity, where a kid from the
Michigan Northwoods can work hard and make something of his life. I'm
grateful for the gift of the greatest words ever written, that let me
share with you the infinite scope of the human experience. As an
actor, I'm thankful that I've lived not one life, but many.
Above all, I'm proud of my family ... my wife Lydia, the queen of my
heart, my children, Fraser and Holly, and my beloved grandchildren,
Jack, Ridley and Charlie. They're my biggest fans, my toughest
critics and my proudest achievement. Through them, I can touch
immortality.
Finally, I'm confident about the future of America. I believe in you.
I know that the future of our country, our culture and our children
is in good hands. I know you will continue to meet adversity with
strength and resilience, as our ancestors did, and come through with
flying colors -- the ones on Old Glory.
William Shakespeare, at the end of his career, wrote his farewell
through the words of Prospero, in "The Tempest." It ends like this:
Be cheerful, sir.
Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea all which it inherit, shall dissolve
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.
Thank you, and God bless you, everyone."
Charlton Heston
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FOR INFORMATION ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, PLEASE CLICK ON THE 'ROSE ICON' BELOW
| ||||||
TO MAKE AN DONATION ONLINE TO FIGHT ALZHEIMER'S
BELOW IS A POEM WRITTEN AND DEDICATED TO CHARLTON HESTON
BY: JAMES A. BRANDES
“JOURNEY’S END”
Written for:
“CHARLTON HESTON”
1.
Charlton Heston is on my mind today
But of course he is remembered each time I pray
Not just because I’ve met him and I consider us friends
But because like Ronald Reagan, his legacy will never end
2.
On more than one occasion, he was gracious to me
Delivering a copy of “THE FLAME”, so he and Lydia could see
What the cameras eye had captured within
He opened his door and let me in
3.
Or in Florida where he played tennis one day
Where he left me an autographed copy of “THE ACTORS LIFE” on that memorable day
The movie “HEALTH” was being filmed at the very same place
At St. Petersburg’s Don Cesar, this thanks to William “Bill” Bowman had been restored to its original elegance and grace
4.
But there is a deeper reason; Chuck is on my mind today
I felt especially led; a special prayer to pray
Often wishing we could share yet one more time
The awesome realities of our minds
5.
It grieves me to know this no longer can be
Even if we were once again face to face, you see
But of this much I tell you, I am assured we’ll find
In the future we’ll have all of eternity to share our minds
6.
So “GOD BLESS YOU”, until we reach the other side
Where so many others we love now abide
I just want you to know, we all wish you GODS SPEED
And thank you for the many truths you planted which have taken seed
7.
For they will continue to blossom and bring fragrance to earth
To generations whose existence has yet to experience birth
Through the words of immortals you have portrayed so well
The complete power of which is beyond what anyone can tell
8.
Or through your awesome stand, for our GOD GIVEN rights
Wherein, you like Paul, in SCRIPTURE put up a good fight
And a host of other things we attribute to you
Because to your self, you always remained true
9.
So now I must close although I could write forever what is
Only in part the legacy to us which you give
Praying for Lydia, Holly and Fraser too
That GOD continues to protect them and guide them through what they’ve yet to go through
10.
For each of you are sent both our Love and our Prayers
For Love is: L-ife’s O-nly V-alue E-ternal and we will eternally care
So in PRAYER I’ve said, we have request GOD attend to your fight
For GOD ANSWERS PRAYER and will keep each of you through your darkest night
11.
I pray somehow this poem will reach you, but this nobody knows
But I’m sure GOD hears my prayer as to heaven it goes
I just wanted once more to tell you my friend
You will be in our prayers even beyond your,
“JOURNEY’S END”
Copyright © 2006
By: James A. Brandes
Written Monday 27th of March 2006
Permission has been granted by James A.Brandes to use this poem at:
“CHARLTON HESTON WORLD”
Please visit his website at the link below:
