Think Alzheimer’s only strikes the elderly? Think again.
For some, the devastating disease creeps in far earlier than expected — stealing memories, independence, and identity while they’re still raising kids or building careers. It’s called early-onset Alzheimer’s, and it can hit in your 40s or 50s.
Just ask Rebecca Luna. She never imagined her life would change so drastically, so soon.
Two years ago, Rebecca Luna was thriving. At 48, she was juggling motherhood, work, and a fast-paced lifestyle she loved. But everything changed with one life-altering diagnosis: Early-Onset Alzheimer’s.
Now, the once-busy mom of two is sharing her journey with the world—through emotional videos on TikTok, honest reflections on her GoFundMe, and a deeply personal letter shared with Yahoo. And while she’s doing her best to stay hopeful, Rebecca knows what lies ahead.
“I am facing a rare form of Alzheimer’s: Early Onset Alzheimer’s. This disease is terminal and progressive with a shorter (8 years) life expectancy,” she wrote on her GoFundMe page.
“I’m doing my best to live fully, work and take care of myself—but the reality is that I won’t be able to do that forever. As this illness progresses I will eventually lose the ability to work, live independently and support myself financially.”
Rebecca is raising funds not just for her own care, but to support her kids through the uncertain future. Her campaign is a heartbreaking reminder of how this disease robs people not just of memories, but of independence and identity.
When the symptoms hit
Looking back, Rebecca says the signs were there — but easy to dismiss at first. She chalked up the forgetfulness to stress. That is, until one day at work, she sat down at her computer and everything went blank.
“I’ve been in my job for a few years. When I opened the computer [one morning] and looked at it, I didn’t know what to do,” she told Yahoo News.
“I didn’t know where to start. Normally, you would start your job and you’d be like, ‘Oh, I’ve got to do this, this, this.’ I had no idea. There was just … nothingness.”
That moment was a turning point.
The day she almost lost her home
The memory issues soon moved beyond work.
“Things happened [next] that were obviously [signs that] something was going on,” Rebecca said.
One incident still haunts her.
“I was boiling an egg. I left it on the stove, and then I walked downtown, which is a half-hour walk,” she said.
“When I got downtown, I realized I left the stove on. I ran home, and my house was covered in smoke. So, it literally almost caught my house on fire.”
It’s moments like this that make Rebecca’s situation so urgent. She’s losing the ability to live on her own — but she’s not giving up hope.
Holding onto positivity, one day at a time
Despite knowing her condition will only get worse, Rebecca is fighting to stay positive — for herself, her friends, and most of all, her family.
Her videos on TikTok are raw, honest, and often emotional. And her GoFundMe is helping raise awareness about a disease that’s often misunderstood—especially when it strikes someone so young.
Rebecca’s strength in the face of what’s coming is both heartbreaking and deeply inspiring. And she has an important message for anyone who loves someone living with Alzheimer’s.
”My suggestion is to meet them where they’re at. What I’ve found really helpful with my partner is not to be questioned but reminded, and to just believe them. And give them a hug. Tell them you love them. Because really, if I’m being completely honest, what I need is a hug from my family,” Luna says.
If you’d like to support Rebecca or learn more about her story, you can find her on TikTok or visit her GoFundMe page.
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