PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Mike Parrish, the man who spent the longest day of the year in the water off the Outer Banks to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association, lost his mother to the disease on that same day.
10 On Your Side reported earlier in the week that Parrish had planned to spend 16 hours in the water – surfing, swimming and relaxing as part of the Longest Day fundraising campaign.
Parrish told us he planned the fundraiser in February as a way to take some control over the disease that had left his mother, Charlotte, and their family powerless.
He braved the cold and rain on Wednesday for just over 13 hours. When his body couldn’t take the waves any longer he got out of the ocean and went to his car to get warm.
When he checked his phone he saw the condolences. He called his father and confirmed that his mother had died.
“My father was with my mother and said all the worry just melted off of her face, and I think I was where I was supposed to be,” Parrish said.
Parrish has raised more than $7,500 for the Alzheimer’s Association to help find a cure and to help families caring for loved ones with the disease.
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Read More: Virginia man loses mom to Alzheimer’s while raising funds in her honor