If you ask Mario Gregorio the story behind his walking stick made from bamboo, he’ll tell you his nephew carved it for him as a gift. But if you ask him about the schedule written in ink on the back of his hand, he’ll eventually reveal it’s about a gift he’s giving to others. “I used to write (my schedule) on a piece of paper,” Mario says. “But then I forget (the paper) is in my pocket, so it becomes useless.” You see, Mario was diagnosed with dementia in his mid-50s, was forced to quit his job, and says he was left feeling like a jug of milk with a looming best-before date. “(The doctors said) seven to twelve years,” Mario recalls. “After that, you’re either dead or living in a long-term care home.” Mario was devastated. But after crying countless tears, he came up with a singular solution. “There might be something I can do while I’m still alive,” Mario smiles. So, Mario started volunteering. The more he helped others, the more his mental health improved. “I think people need to understand that they need to have a purpose,” Mario says. Now, 18 years after being diagnosed and six years after being told his life would essentially be over, Mario volunteers at 20 organizations, from universities doing dementia research, to community groups making meals for people in need. “When people talk to me, I tell them volunteering makes me cry!” Mario laughs, before revealing that he’s always asked to chop bags of onions at the community kitchen. They always ask Mario to do the tear-inspiring chore, because no matter what makes Mario start crying, he’ll always end up smiling. “We always smile, no matter what!” Mario laughs. And no matter where he travels — with his walking stick made from bamboo (that’s both strong and resilient like him), and reminders written on his hand (so he never forgets to help others) — Mario is always grateful. “At the end of the day, I have a sense of being thankful that I’m still here,” Mario laughs. “And I’m doing what I can to make life for other people a little better.”
