Remembering Everyone’s Best Friend

St. Ann Center means different things to different people—from a day care to a place to get a massage, volunteer or learn to swim. But for Doug Burdick, it has been something else entirely…a second home.

Doug became a client at St. Ann Center Adult Day Care 24 years ago. He was among the first young adults in the program when the Stein Campus opened as an intergenerational facility in 1999. If there was any doubt about the wisdom of children interacting with adults, Doug put it to rest. “He was fabulous with the kids,” said Sandy Bonnier, lead CNA with the young adult unit. “He would hold and rock the babies and then get down on the floor with the bigger kids and play with trucks. Old or young, everyone was Dougie’s friend.”

A perfect example was the day Doug and other St. Ann Center clients went to a baseball game—the first time he’d seen Miller Park. He instantly endeared everyone in his section with the greeting, “Hi, I’m Doug. How about them Brewers?” Shawn Chilson, Stein Campus Vice President of Adult Services, who was chaperoning, remembers, “Somebody hit a home run, and Doug was so excited, he jumped up.” With that, the nachos that had been in Doug’s lap rained down on the fans below. “Instead of getting ticked off, the guy in front of him bought Doug another plate of nachos,” Shawn said.

“Doug had a way of getting people to laugh and remember what really matters.”– Shawn Chilson

One of the things that mattered a lot to Doug was sports. With the sports page tucked in his back pocket, he’d tell anyone within earshot about his beloved Green Bay Packers. He also engaged more than one Sister of St. Francis in a discussion about professional wrestling. Another love was music. A devotee of Elvis, Doug had the hip swivel down pat. He was an enthusiastic member of St. Ann Center’s adult choir and enjoyed performing in concerts for his family and friends.

The talent Doug was famous for around St. Ann Center earned him his nickname, “Huggy Dougie.” Mary Olson, a CNA in Shepherd House, remembers how he got it. “We were having a contest to see who could collect the most hugs,” she said, explaining players had to get a signature from everyone they hugged. “Doug ended up filling three cards!”

A couple of years ago, Doug started having trouble remembering things. As his health declined, he joined the clients in the Shepherd House memory care unit. Growing more and more quiet, he’d nap during the day. Eventually, Doug even forgot when the Packers played. In April, he was moved to a 24-hour nursing care facility.  On his last day at St Ann Center, he gave out big hugs to everyone, and took the love and respect of his St. Ann Center family with him.

Doug passed away peacefully two months ago at the age of 60. During a memorial service held at the center, clients and staff alike remembered his ear-to-ear grin and most of all, his hugs. “Doug found his purpose here,” Sandy said, recalling how he loved helping her with activities and encouraging everyone to participate. “We’re richer for having had him with us.”

Read all the stories of our joyful intergenerational community in the October-December Issue of Seasons of Life.

More than Meets the Eye

If you ask John Krall how he got so good at basketball, mini golf and bowling, he’ll gladly share his secret. “The trick,” he says with a smile, “is listening.”

A client at the Stein Campus, John has coped with dual disabilities since birth—cerebral palsy and blindness. Upbeat and engaging, he’s an obvious people person. “When we play a game that requires me to hit a target, the staff tells me where to aim,” he explains. “It’s a group effort.”

John, 54, came to St. Ann Center a year ago after 30 years of working with a vocational training program. “I enjoy the wide range of people here—from seniors to the little ones,” he says, adding he loves the sound of children having fun. He takes his role as their adult friend seriously. “When the kids join us for activities, they learn not to be afraid,” he says. “They come to understand that people who use wheelchairs are basically not that different from them.”

Challenging limitations has become a way of life for John. He participates in as many St. Ann Center programs as possible, from group games to drawing and sewing. An avid music fan, he plays hand bells and sings in the center’s choir. And if you sit in on Trivia Day, you’ll find him acing most every music-related question.

“The staff helps me when I need it, and they respect what I’m able to do on my own. Here, I’m a human being—not a disability. I feel like I can conquer just about anything.”– John Krall

Not one to stay in one place for long, John especially appreciates activities that involve exercise. “Having cerebral palsy, I need to keep moving as much as I can,” he says. Sessions with a St. Ann Center massage therapist and regular whirlpool baths help keep his tight muscles relaxed. John also finds spiritual support is readily available. “I go to the daily prayer service,” he says. “It’s nice to have a chance to be quiet and meditate in the middle of a busy morning.”

Known around St. Ann Center for his positive attitude, John is a one-man welcoming committee for new clients. “I just want to be as friendly to them as people have been to me,” he says.

Read all the stories of our joyful intergenerational community in the July-September Issue of Seasons of Life.