On June 9, under the celestial arches of Cipriani 42nd Street, CaringKind hosted its 29th annual Forget-Me-Not Gala—a night that shimmered with both elegance and emotional gravity. This was not merely a fundraiser; it was a communion of grief, resilience, and luminous humanity.
The cause pierced deeply. I have stood at the edge of recognition, calling out to someone I loved who no longer knew my name. Dementia does not simply rob memory; it reshapes identity, erodes dignity, and leaves families clinging to fragments. This disease has touched my life with quiet violence, and so this evening unfolded not as a spectacle, but as a deeply personal reckoning.
David Hyde Pierce, a longtime advocate and returning Master of Ceremonies, opened the evening with words nearly undone by emotion. His voice wavered, catching mid-sentence as he fought to contain grief too vast for language. The room, dense with donors, designers, and dignitaries, fell utterly silent. Tears welled up across the floor. A thousand strangers wept together, not from performance, but from a shared understanding of what this disease takes.
The evening’s theme, Connect2Living, served as both mission and manifesto. Connection does not merely comfort; it preserves the remnants of identity when memory begins to vanish. This ethos carried through each honoree’s story, illuminating what it means to live with dignity in the face of cognitive decline.
Dr. Susan Beane, recipient of the Connect2Impact Award, is revolutionizing healthcare for underserved communities. Her work at Healthfirst positions empathy as the cornerstone of care, challenging entrenched systems to do better, starting with how we treat our most vulnerable.
Peter Frishauf accepted the Connect2Hope Award with the steady conviction of someone who has always seen the long view. As the founder of Medscape, he transformed access to medical information, yet it is his advocacy for age-friendly, livable communities that now defines his legacy.
Fern Mallis, honored with the Connect2Vision & Culture Award, radiated the force of a woman who has shaped industries and now seeks to shape hearts. Kenneth Cole introduced her with reverence, acknowledging her influence not only in fashion but also in advocacy and cultural leadership.
Emma Heming Willis and Helen Christoni, the powerhouses behind Make Time Wellness, brought critical attention to women’s brain health. Their presence lent dimension and clarity to a conversation often buried in silence. They are not waiting for permission to speak; they are rewriting the narrative entirely.
The room opened its heart and its wallet. Lydia Fenet led the Paddle Raise with precision and grace, guiding the audience to unprecedented generosity. Seth Herzog, ever the alchemist of levity, brought laughter without undermining the gravity of the moment. The final tally reached into the millions—money that will translate into real services, real care, real change.
Late into the night, the gala shed its solemnity. When “Pink Pony Club” pulsed through the speakers, guests in gowns and glitter let themselves go. Laughter spilled across the marble. Sequins blurred beneath spinning lights. That dance floor became an altar of defiance. Joy held space beside sorrow, not in opposition, but in partnership.
Alzheimer’s will find its way into every circle. This is not a distant crisis. It is a personal one, immediate and inevitable. Every moment of lucidity matters. Every gesture of support carries the weight of revolution.
Choose not to wait for this disease to reach your doorstep. Become a part of the solution now. Support CaringKind’s work—not as an act of charity, but as an act of human preservation.
Visit ckgala.org to donate or learn more.
