By the time J.J. Denison was six years old, he had already witnessed the impact of Alzheimer’s on his family. He had a front-row seat as his mother cared for her father and became his advocate. J.J. joined her on this journey and is now making his own mark—shining a light on the fight against Alzheimer’s and inspiring a community along the way.
Born in Colorado in 2016, J.J. is the youngest of three children raised by his mother, Brett Denison. While his older siblings grew up near their grandparents, J.J.’s relationship with them was built through cherished visits after they retired to Pinehurst, N.C. But those visits became more urgent and emotional as Brett’s parents faced serious health challenges.
In 2019, shortly after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, Brett’s father—affectionately known as “Mac” to his grandchildren—got lost on his way home from the airport. Unfortunately, it would be two more years before he received an official Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Then, in January 2022, Brett’s mother passed away from pancreatic cancer. With Mac’s condition rapidly worsening, Brett made the life-changing decision to move to Carthage, near Pinehurst in Moore County, with J.J. to care for him. Her husband followed later, after selling their home and business in Colorado, while her older children stayed behind.
Despite the upheaval, J.J. didn’t hesitate.
“J.J. was a great comfort to me and my dad,” Brett recalls. “He was calm and very protective of Mac and always jumped right in to help. Their bond solidified quickly – J.J. loved spending time with him. My dad’s face lights up when J.J. walks in the room. Even on days when he may not know our names, he knows he loves us. J.J. never skips a beat or shies away from him.”
In fact, one of J.J.’s favorite things to do with Mac is take funny Snapchat photos and videos with fun filters that turn a person into an animal or making a funny face.
“We like to laugh a lot,” shared J.J.
In their new home, Brett found solace and support through the Alzheimer’s Association. She and her family joined the Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Moore County in 2022, with Mac proudly walking beside them. But it was in 2024 that J.J. truly stepped into the spotlight.
Moved by his grandfather’s struggle, J.J. asked if he could start his own team. At just eight years old, he became the youngest team captain in the history of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. He named his team the SFL ALZ Avengers and made a heartfelt video that his mom shared on Facebook. He raised $400 in just three hours. He also shared his mission with teachers and classmates, and by Walk Day, he had surpassed $1,000—earning the Grand Champion level medal, the youngest ever to do so.
“This is the worst thing I can think of,” J.J. said, referring to Alzheimer’s. “It’s something that I have to get rid of.”
Seeing how Alzheimer’s has affected his family motivates him to keep speaking out and advocating for a cure.
His passion didn’t go unnoticed. As a third grader, J.J. received the Compassion Award from Sandhills Farm Life Elementary School, and the NC medal of courage from Representative Hudson’s office. But he’s not stopping there. This year, the ALZ Avengers are back with a creative twist: a purple rubber duck race. Each duck, sold to raise funds, will race down an inflatable water slide for a $500 prize—fun with a powerful purpose.
On Walk Day, the ALZ Avengers—donning purple capes—will once again take to the path at Sandhills Community College, Mac by their side, joining over 1,000 others in their community in the fight for a cure. The team has already raised more than half of their $1,000 goal!
In addition to Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Brett has gotten involved with advocacy and is readily sharing her story, her dad’s experience getting care, and caregiving challenges with lawmakers to help advance policy that impacts people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. She attends North Carolina Advocacy Day in Raleigh and the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement Advocacy Forum in Washington D.C. Next year, J.J. wants to go with her.
J.J.’s story is more than just his love for his grandfather – it’s a powerful reminder that even the smallest voices can spark meaningful change. In the heart of North Carolina, his leadership is proving that heroes come in all sizes. With dreams of becoming a medical scientist to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s, J.J. is already making a difference and we believe he absolutely will. Cheering you on, J.J.!
LIKE J.J. & BRETT, WE ALL HAVE A REASON TO FIGHT FOR A WORLD WITHOUT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. Join your local Walk to End Alzheimer’s today as an individual, team, or sponsor.
Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s®:
The Alzheimer’s Association hosts 17 walks across North Carolina. The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association® mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s.
Walk to End Alzheimer’s 2025 dates in North Carolina:
| Alamance County | 9/27/25 |
| Asheville | 9/27/25 |
| Charlotte | 10/18/25 |
| Fayetteville | 10/25/25 |
| Gaston/Cleveland/Lincoln | 10/11/25 |
| Guilford County | 10/25/25 |
| Henderson County | 9/27/25 |
| Iredell Co. & Lake Norman | 9/27/25 |
| Jacksonville | 9/27/25 |
| Moore County | 9/13/25 |
| Mount Airy | 9/20/25 |
| New Bern | 10/18/25 |
| Rowan-Cabarrus | 10/4/25 |
| Unifour | 10/25/25 |
| Triangle (Raleigh-Durham) | 10/4/25 |
| Wilmington | 11/1/25 |
| Winston-Salem | 11/16/25 |
Alzheimer's Association North Carolina Blog 