Inside Gabrielle Union's father's death following dementia: In her own words

The father of American actress and model Gabrielle Union, Sylvester ‘Cully’ Union Jr.,  has been announced deceased following a battling with dementia and the initial news came via her official Instagram account.

The post that shared it all not only featured a video and photo collage that showed his life, his legacy and all that he achieved, including candid family moments but also some snaps of him with his grandbabies.

The post that accompanied this was long and detailed, it reads “Yesterday morning, my Dad, Sylvester ‘Cully’ Union Jr., passed away. No matter how much you think you know about dementia, nothing prepares you for the painfully slow disappearing of your loved one. First it’s repeating words or forgetting little things here or there, then BOOM, he can’t swallow or walk. The them that you know gets smaller and smaller. You hold out hope for sustained eye contact or a smile; even a hand squeeze can make you feel like they could come back to you ‘normal’ at any second. It’s brutal and it’s what he experienced, but it wasn’t who he was.”

While discussing the slow decline he experienced she also said, “through every step of his life, my Dad was surrounded by love and support from his ever-growing village. I swear he never met a stranger, just friends he hadn’t met yet. A lifelong, die-hard Nebraska fan, he taught me the values of teamwork, a fierce work ethic, and that you are only as strong as your weakest link, so tend to them first.”

“My Dad was a perfectly imperfect man and father. Over time he evolved, acknowledged his imperfections, apologized, and made amends for as long as it took for the hurts to heal. He made it his business to look after everyone. He loved our friends too and treated them like his sons and daughters. No one was ever left behind or unseen.”

She didn’t stop there and instead showered her father with praise saying, “my parents were the first allies and comrades I saw in action, and I vowed to follow in their footsteps. My Dad also loved to party, ALWAYS the life of EVERY party. He loved music, traveling the world, and spending time with extended family and friends.”

She also added, “I am grateful for all who stepped up in his final years to care, nurture, and love on him. My family and I are eternally grateful for the medical and memory care staff who ensured he had the best care. My sisters who stepped up are heroes, and I love you both beyond words.”

“She didn’t even concluded like that and instead made the situation interactive by opening up the comment section and saying, “PS: If you knew my Dad, please share in the comments. Our family will cherish”.