Jack Weaver’s book, Going, Going… The Abduction of a Mind, is a story of challenges and endurance. Jack’s faith in God has carried him through the trials of life, specifically, his wife’s journey with Alzheimer’s. His book provides a testimony of love that can survive even the deterioration of memory.
Raised in northern California, Jack and Janey met when they were sixteen and married when they were twenty. They spent fifty-one years together. Weaver’s book provides anecdotes of their years together, both before and after Janey’s memory loss began. They were committed to marriage.
In the fall of 2004, Janey was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Genetic testing revealed three predictive genes, and a brain MRI showed plaque buildup. The doctor predicted she would live five to seven years, but Janey outlived this prediction
Chronicling the Long Goodbye
Weaver did not originally intend to write a book. A private exercise that aided in dealing with everyday challenges turned into a written legacy. “In an attempt to recover from the day’s assaults of Alzheimer’s on our life, I would write,” he explains. “At the end of it all, I had a book.”
The memoir Going, Going… The Abduction of a Mind swings between the past and the present, painting a portrait of Janey before the disease and the painful contrast of the illness as it moved on. “I wrote about Janey as I had known her for years, and I wrote about Janey with Alzheimer’s and how that disease affected every aspect of our life and family,” Weaver explains.
This book does not shy away from the emotional difficulty. Chapters such as “Winter Love,” “Accounts Payable,” and most especially “No Words” forced Weaver to relive moments of loss that even today are hard to articulate. But with the writing came emotional release, healing, and rejoicing in God’s grace. The truthful feelings described in this book may help another who might be walking a similar path.
Faith in the Face of Despair
Weaver is quick to name his anchor: faith. “In my theology, I allow God to be God,” he writes. “He is sovereign. He may do what He wants with His creation.” For Jack and Janey, then, faith was not the comfort appended onto suffering; it was foundational to what they endured.
One of the most moving passages in the book is when Janey herself expresses this faith after her diagnosis: “He didn’t have to save me, but He did. If He wants me to have Alzheimer’s, then I will have Alzheimer’s.” Accepting such a fate comes not from resolution but from deep faith, says Weaver.
Humor breaks out here and there throughout the story. The little doses of comic relief like “It’s a Jungle in There” or “Cleaning Solution” were never planned but bubbled up spontaneously during the course of daily life. “It was dropped in my lap,” says Weaver. “It was there all the time, just waiting to be discovered.”
Lessons for Caregivers
Today there are more than six million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, with maybe multiple caregivers bearing immense responsibilities for every patient. This book becomes meaningful in that community because it offers both camaraderie and pragmatic wisdom.
Asked for one piece of advice, Weaver emphasized that safety comes first. “If one chooses to take care of their loved one in the home, it must be safe,” he said, mentioning security cameras and baby monitors, as well as childproofing. But he also insisted that caregiving has to be all about giving. “It will never be about you; it will always be about your loved one. It will never be appropriate to show anger or frustration. Any demand upon them will just overwhelm them.”
This philosophy is not only practical but humane to the core. Guided by love, the endless sacrifice and selflessness needed to provide care are not a duty, but a gift freely given.
Message to Readers
What Weaver hopes readers take with them from Going, Going… is empowerment. “You are the best expert regarding your loved one,” says Weaver. “So, do not be fearful of making health care decisions for them. Do not allow denial to have a seat at the table; remain objective.”
When considering his life in terms of a legacy, Weaver’s hope is that his life reminds others that love, commitment, and reliance upon God’s grace can see us through anything. This message goes far beyond Alzheimer’s. Every reader can apply this message to their own battles, with or without experience with the disease.
Life After Janey
After Janey’s death, Weaver embarked on a new phase of life. In 2021, he married Kitty, a friend of his late wife for more than 40 years, herself a widow for the past eight years. They moved to Wyoming, where Weaver serves as a volunteer chaplain for Campbell County Home Health and Hospice, sits on the elder board of his church, and leads a men’s Bible class.
He has continued his leatherwork—a hobby he took up while caring for Janey because it was something he could do in the house near her. “Life is transient,” Weaver reflects. “It has a beginning and an end; but love can be forever, and it grows stronger over time.”
The Books Ahead
Going, Going… is only a beginning. Weaver has two works in editing. His book Gone covers the last year of Janey’s illness and provides advice for those who might be going through the very last stages. Cameos of Care explores the inner workings of a good caregiver, giving the reader advice on finding, choosing, and trusting the right people to walk alongside them.
Writing became more than therapy for Weaver; it became his mission. He sought to continue raising awareness for Alzheimer’s, perhaps one of the fastest growing health concerns in the world, and use his platform to inspire resilience, faith, and love.
Review: A Chronicle of Courage and Grace
Weaver’s book escapes the usual mold. The straightforward prose of Weaver allows stark emotions to come to the fore. His contrasts between former liveliness and present decline expose the cruelty of the disease.
Its power resides not in fancy style but in truth. The readers are able to laugh, cry, and believe alongside Weaver. Humor heals sorrow. The Scriptures repair despair. Love floats on every page.
For caregivers, it is a manual waiting to be opened. It is the view of a reality. It is a reminder that commitment and faith can endure even when the mind has been abducted.
Weaver’s story is not really about loss. It teaches the strength of love, the reality of suffering, and the sustaining power of faith. It is a gift not only for people on the road of Alzheimer’s but for everyone facing the tough stuff of life.
Readers will find much more than simply a medical narrative in Going, Going… The Abduction of a Mind. It is a love letter written through trial, a legacy of encouragement, and a declaration of the frailty of life.
Links
- Book on Amazon: Going, Going…: The Abduction of a Mind
- Author Website: https://www.goingwithalzheimers.net/author/
- Festival of Storytellers Interview (YouTube): Watch here
