For the past several years, the Winter Garden resident been cared for with the help of the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, his daughter Ashley Lee and his granddaughter, Kaylei Lee, 18.. - Courtesy of Ashley Lee/Ashley Lee/TNS
Darrell Lee has lost almost all control over his body as he grapples with the relentless grip of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Lying in his daughter Ashley Lee’s Winter Garden home, the 72-year-old is kept alive by a series of medical marvels: a ventilator, feeding tube and a catheter. Communication has evolved into a language of subtle gestures: a closed-eye response for “yes,” a slight mouth movement of “I love you,” the shadow of a smile on his face. It’s a poignant performance that requires a discerning eye to detect, but to Ashley Lee, it’s a tes...
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