Nikki DeLoach and Ashley Williams are not just actresses who grace movie and television screens (especially on Hallmark channel) but they are friends with a shared philanthropic passion. Williams told Southern Living that the two have been friends "forever," having first met in acting class in the early 2000s. However, they have another shared experience: both have had parents diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's.
Williams — who is the younger sister of Kimberly Williams-Paisley and sister-in-law to singer Brad Paisley — explains that her mother was diagnosed with dementia in 2005. The sisters did not speak about their mother's disease in public due to her wishes, and Williams says her mother "lived with the disease for 12 years." Their mother passed about six years ago, with her official cause of death being Alzheimer's disease.
Since their mother's passing, Williams and Williams-Paisley have become outspoken about the disease and how it affects family members. This led Williams to DeLoach, who experienced a similar journey with her father, who had dementia.
"Really, Nikki and I connected because both of our families were dealing with dementia as a disease," Williams tells the publication. "She has always been there for me and I've always been there for her. It's really such a complicated disease and it comes in many forms. The way it manifested itself in her dad and in my mom were pretty similar so we were really there for each other."
The two have attended various fundraisers for Alzheimer's and dementia research, and this year, they helped spread awareness by hosting the 6th Annual Dance Party to End ALZ in Nashville on Nov. 12. Founded by Williams-Paisley, the annual event is a fundraiser for Alzheimer's and dementia research. This year's event was 2000s themed and featured performances from artists including Jay Allen, Kylie Morgan, Melinda Doolittle, Charles Esten, Noah Thompson and more.
"It is honestly a celebration of life, this dance party," Williams says of the event. "Not only is dancing really good for your brain and your body, but it's also a way to find community together in what also can be a really isolating disease."
