Beverly Glenn-Copeland is on a mission, even if his body isn't as spry as it once was. The 81-year-old musician has been diagnosed with dementia and is determined to make the most of every moment, despite the challenges that come with it.
"I know this is meant to be giving me more time," he says, "but I just feel like we're not living a life. I have places I want to see and people I want to meet before I die." His wife, Elizabeth, agrees that music has always been his escape, but now she's the one supporting him through it all.
"We've been partners for almost 20 years," she says, her voice filled with emotion. "We're in this together, always leaning on each other's shoulders and tag-teaming anecdotes." It's clear that their love and partnership are still going strong, despite the obstacles they face.
Glenn's music has always been a way for him to express himself, but now it's become a lifeline. He's been forced out of retirement for his 2020 tour, which was cancelled due to the pandemic, but he refused to let that stop him. "It's not the I'm-so-fabulous show," Elizabeth says with a laugh. "It's: how can what we do in this room with these humans be of service?"
Glenn's music is more than just a performance; it's an experience. His bandmates are also caregivers, taking on roles that help him navigate the complexities of life with dementia.
"We don't want to be old people in that way that our culture tells us old people should be," Elizabeth says, gazing around their autumnal garden. "Yes, we're coming into the decay phase of life but when you watch the leaves turn from green to orange, often the decay phase can be the most beautiful."
As for Glenn, he's still determined to make a difference. He's an advocate for trans rights and continues to offer advice to young people who are struggling with their identities.
"Mostly what I say is if you feel you can be who you really are, be who you really are," he says, his eyes twinkling with wisdom. "That's the point, right?"
For now, Glenn is living in the moment, savoring every second of life despite the challenges that come with it. He may not be able to drive a car or fill out paperwork like he used to, but his spirit remains unbroken.
"I'm 81 years old," he says with a grin, "but this ain't it."
"I know this is meant to be giving me more time," he says, "but I just feel like we're not living a life. I have places I want to see and people I want to meet before I die." His wife, Elizabeth, agrees that music has always been his escape, but now she's the one supporting him through it all.
"We've been partners for almost 20 years," she says, her voice filled with emotion. "We're in this together, always leaning on each other's shoulders and tag-teaming anecdotes." It's clear that their love and partnership are still going strong, despite the obstacles they face.
Glenn's music has always been a way for him to express himself, but now it's become a lifeline. He's been forced out of retirement for his 2020 tour, which was cancelled due to the pandemic, but he refused to let that stop him. "It's not the I'm-so-fabulous show," Elizabeth says with a laugh. "It's: how can what we do in this room with these humans be of service?"
Glenn's music is more than just a performance; it's an experience. His bandmates are also caregivers, taking on roles that help him navigate the complexities of life with dementia.
"We don't want to be old people in that way that our culture tells us old people should be," Elizabeth says, gazing around their autumnal garden. "Yes, we're coming into the decay phase of life but when you watch the leaves turn from green to orange, often the decay phase can be the most beautiful."
As for Glenn, he's still determined to make a difference. He's an advocate for trans rights and continues to offer advice to young people who are struggling with their identities.
"Mostly what I say is if you feel you can be who you really are, be who you really are," he says, his eyes twinkling with wisdom. "That's the point, right?"
For now, Glenn is living in the moment, savoring every second of life despite the challenges that come with it. He may not be able to drive a car or fill out paperwork like he used to, but his spirit remains unbroken.
"I'm 81 years old," he says with a grin, "but this ain't it."
82 and still rocking? I mean, you've gotta respect the dude's commitment to living life on his own terms. His music is more than just a way to express himself - it's like he's saying, "Hey, I'm still here, and I still got something to say." 
Even if dementia is forcing him to slow down, he's not letting that define him. He's finding new ways to connect with people and make a difference. Elizabeth sounds like the ultimate partner in crime - always there to support him and keep his spirits up 
? I mean, people say that age is just a number and this man proves it. his music has always been a way to express himself but now its like the oxygen he breathes 
. he's still advocating for trans rights and still got those wise words like "be who you really are" 
. his wife elizabeth is the real MVP too, taking care of him through all this. dementia might be getting the best of him physically but not mentally 
. anyway, I think we can all learn a thing or two from beverly's attitude and zest for life 
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. I mean who needs to be able to drive or fill out paperwork when you can just enjoy the ride? And honestly, I'm low-key impressed by how his wife is supportin him through all this - she's like the ultimate partner in crime 
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. It's like he's showin us all how to live life on our own terms and not worry about what society thinks we should be doin at a certain age or with a certain ability. That's the kind of vibe I can get behind 
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I mean, you can tell he's still got that fire in him even with dementia being tough on his body. his wife's been super supportive too, they're like the ultimate power couple 
. and yeah music has always been a big part of his life, but now it's more than just entertainment for him, it's a way to connect with others and find meaning.
. like what he said about being true to yourself, that's such valuable advice for anyone who's struggling with their identity. I think we could all learn a thing or two from glenn's attitude towards life... even in the face of decline, he's still got so much joy and passion 
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. You know how we need to save the planet? Well, Glenn's doing his part by spreading love & acceptance through his music - just like we should be promoting unity among all communities. His approach is all about supporting each other, not holding back because of age or ability. We could learn a thing or two from that 
. He's still going strong despite being diagnosed with dementia at 81. I mean, his spirit is unbroken which is something to be admired. But seriously, can you imagine having to deal with that kind of health issue while still trying to create music? It's like the platform we're supposed to be using to discuss this news doesn't even allow us to post as many thoughts and opinions as we'd like 
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. It just makes you want to cheer them on even more. But what really gets me is that they're using their platform (or whatever platform they're using) to spread messages of acceptance and self-empowerment 
! Anyway, I think we're all supposed to be inspired by Beverly and Elizabeth's love story, but honestly, sometimes I wish our platform had a bit more flexibility when it comes to posting thoughts and opinions 
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I gotta say, 81 and still going strong... that's kinda inspiring, I guess 
. It's like they're trying to live life on their own terms, but our society isn't exactly set up for that 
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. I'm all for living life in the moment, but can we please just slow down and enjoy the ride without all the extra frills? 
But on the other hand, isn't he basically saying that age doesn't matter if you're still living life to the fullest?
, you know? I love how he's not letting dementia get the best of him 
. It's beautiful to see their love and partnership still strong after 20 years 
? He's got wisdom to share 