The Marathon of Alzheimer's: You Are Not Alone with Karla Hult, Founder of So Many Goodbyes & Award-Winning Journalist
“She sits in front of the man who raised her, served as her role model and supported her throughout life’s most challenging moments. And she misses him. She touches his face, holds his hands, searches his empty eyes. But still, she misses him.” These are the words spoken by Karla Hult, founder of So Many Goodbyes and award-winning journalist. In her own words, Karla started a marathon called Alzheimer’s with her father and experienced all the challenges, grief, decisions, and moments of joy with her family during the nine-year journey. This became her motivation to create So Many Goodbyes.
As a public speaker, Karla provides workshops for families, caregivers, older adults, and senior living communities, offering mentorship to families currently in the throes of Alzheimer's to bridge the gap of communication between families and caregivers. During our interview, Karla shared her story, how her father's diagnosis changed her family, the truth about Alzheimer's, staggering numbers, and all the goodbyes that families experience when they walk through this with their loved ones. Karla sees the pressing need for support, and her family's story has opened doors for others to do the same. She is hopeful about the movement of awareness around Alzheimer's and the initiatives she's seen in the space. Karla has an amazing support network that she pulls education and information from. Her message is simple: "We're in this together, and you are not alone." I am honored to have interviewed Karla and to highlight the wonderful work she is doing, not only nationally but also in my community. Thank you, Karla, for sharing your story and supporting others so beautifully. I'm so grateful for you!
Karla shares about:
The journey with her father while he had Alzheimer's
She created So Many Goodbyes as a result of her experiences during her father's nine-year journey with Alzheimer's
The ways she provides workshops for families, caregivers, and senior living communities to improve communication and mentor families currently affected by Alzheimer's
Shares the truth about Alzheimer's, and the staggering numbers associated with it
How she sees a pressing need for support and is hopeful for the initiatives in the space
Giving hope to others, "We're in this together, and you are not alone."
Where we can learn more and work with So Many Goodbyes
Learn more at www.somanygoodbyes.com
About Karla Hult & So Many Goodbyes
KarlaHult is an Emmy, Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite award-winning journalist who's worked in eight different newsrooms throughout the country. Her favorite stories include those touching on international, political and cultural issues and, of course, stories shared from the heart, including her award-winning work on her family’s own Alzheimer’s journey.
Karla built her career on a foundation of esteemed education. She received a Master's of International Affairs from Columbia University in New York, where she also earned a writing fellowship. Karla graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from St. Olaf College in Minnesota.
Today, she continues to report and anchor for KARE 11, the NBC affiliate in Minneapolis, while also teaching tomorrow’s journalists as an adjunct professor at her alma mater, St. Olaf. But Karla remains most proud of her work as a fierce fighter, emcee and overall advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association, People Serving People, Alight and other organizations committed to helping the underserved in our greater and global communities. Karla also recently launched her own company, So Many Goodbyes, which is dedicated to helping families, caregivers and the long-term care community cope with the cruelty of Alzheimer's.
Karla lives in Minneapolis with her husband, Gary, their two strong girls, Grace and Isabella and their new puppy, Kaija June. The family loves traveling, reading and catching the sunset at Nana and PopPop’s home on their beloved Clear Lake in Forest Lake, Minnesota.
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