Jack Schumacher rides his bike. His daughter, Rylee, runs beside him. And together, the Erie father‑daughter duo is pushing through 100 miles this month — not for speed, but for something far more personal.
June marks Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, and the Schumacher’s are using the challenge to raise money for Jack’s care as he enters his second decade living with early‑onset Alzheimer’s disease. A GoFundMe organized by the family is helping cover the growing costs of around‑the‑clock support.
For Rylee, the miles aren’t the point.
“It’s about the time,” she said. “Knowing that each day I’m losing little bits and pieces of my dad is definitely the hardest thing that I’ll ever have to do or go through. But that makes being able to spend so much time with him right now so much more important.”
Jack was diagnosed at 52. Now in his 60s, he struggles with memory, speech and daily functioning. Some days he responds to “Dad.” Other days, only “Jack” gets his attention.
“Alzheimer’s changes who the person is,” Rylee said. “You lose them twice. You lose them with their personality, and then you lose them in the end, too.”
Still, she holds tightly to the father she remembers — the one she calls the most caring person she has ever known.
“He genuinely doesn’t have a bad bone in his body,” she said. “He’d be doing so much for other people, but he can’t now. So it’s our turn to help him.”
One thing the disease hasn’t taken is Jack’s love of movement. Most days, he pedals his bike while Rylee runs alongside him through Presque Isle or their neighborhood. They’ve become a familiar pair on the trails.
Rylee believes staying active has helped preserve her father’s quality of life.
“Movement truly is medicine,” she said. “As long as he’s able to keep moving, we’re going to keep doing it because it makes him happy and keeps him healthy — and it makes me happy and keeps me healthy too.”
Talking about the emotional toll is harder. During an interview, Rylee paused as she described watching her father’s personality fade.
“It’s definitely the hardest thing that we’ll ever have to do,” she said. “Losing my dad’s personality…”
She stopped, collected herself, and continued.
“There’s not a day that goes by where I’m not happy that I get to spend my entire day with my dad.”
Support for the family’s fundraiser has come from friends, former classmates and community members who knew Jack before his diagnosis. As the Schumacher’s work toward their 100‑mile goal, Rylee hopes the challenge raises awareness — and creates memories she can hold onto.
Because even as Alzheimer’s takes more from Jack, one thing remains unchanged.
After every ride, without directions, he still knows how to get home.