Page 20 - Dr. Nisha Bunke

Sheri Malvestuto Sailing Away to Life On The Other Side Photos Courtesy of Sheri Malvestuto

As many of us know, it is not unusual for women to spend much of their was doing, with tears in my eyes I answered his checklist seeing the
lives dedicated to those around them. We care for our husbands, or smile on his face and knowing he would be flying west. It was a very
significant others, we have children and then we care for them. As we peaceful passing, and he died on September 22 exactly 4 years to the
grow older our parents age and just when our kids are getting more day that he helped me open my business.”
independent, we are called upon to care for our parents. Then there Mom was left behind and Sheri cared for her while growing her new
are the grandkids and of course our kids need the help so we are called business, a business that helped her through her losses. Of course,
upon to care for them and then our husbands or significant others end it could never take the place of her beloved husband and father, but
up with some illnesses as most of the time women out live men, so we helping other families to provide the care to their loved ones was a way
are called upon to take care of them. Throughout this entire process one she could hold on to her own memories. She worked tirelessly and
person is often left out, us. the business prospered. Those around her were a bit concerned that
So when I hear a story about a she didn’t have balance in
woman who is actually about to her life, and suggested that
step outside the path of caregiver she get back to what she
and finally get a chance to enjoy loved to do, dance. She and
her life it is definitely something to Bob had always enjoyed
celebrate. dancing, but now she was
Sheri Malvestuto is the ultimate a bit hesitant to go it solo.
caregiver. Not only in her personal She and Bob had been
life, but in her professional life as introduced to Wheelchair
well. She and her husband Bob Dancing towards the end,
lived a storybook life, living in when Bob was confined to a
different exotic places that his job wheelchair and that experi-
as a VP with Hewlett-Packard took ence had forever changed
him. Places like Europe, Africa Sheri. She watched the
and the Middle East. It was after faces of those who hadn’t
they lived in Italy for a year and a previously been able to walk
half and were returning home that suddenly floating across the
Bob turned to Sheri and said “You dance floor. From that mo-
know I can’t remember the name of ment forward she knew that
the project I’m working on.” Sheri this was something in which
soothed Bob by telling him that he she needed to be involved.
was stressed and had too much on This was a great charitable
his mind. Slowly Bob’s condition endeavor, but friends still
deteriorated and they soon received felt Sheri needed to do
the tragic news that Bob was suf- something for herself, and
fering from early onset Alzheimer’s they convinced her to go out
and Dementia at the young age of dancing with friends and do
only 56. something just for her. So
Slowly their life changed. Bob with the help of some of her
couldn’t work and they had to move Angels, who would stay with
to a smaller place. They lived off of Mom, she was able to go out
their savings until there was nothing and dance again. A little bit
more to live on. Sheri’s dad saw of the former Sheri started
how much care and love she put to emerge and she felt a bit
into her newfound job of caring for more alive than she had for
Bob and when she and her dad a long time. She realized
tried to think of a way to bring in that even to take care of
money to support them, they turned those around her to her best
to what was most natural to Sheri: ability, she had to take care
Sheri was a caregiver, so they looked into and eventually bought a of herself as well.
Visiting Angels Franchise. Sheri, the ultimate caregiver to her husband, That light that was finally rekindled in her grew brighter each week, over
would soon become a premier caregiver to all of her clients in San time, as she went about her life working and taking care of mom and
Diego. going out dancing whenever she could find the time.
The year was 2010 and Bob’s life was coming to an end, but the It was Jan 15 2011 at the Marriott la Jolla, a night that Sheri would never
assistance of Sheri’s “angels” helped make it a bit of an easier time for forget. She hadn’t really felt like going out dancing that night, but a
her. They were there to assist her. The strength of her mom and dad friend had convinced her to go and she will be forever grateful for her
saw her through this tough period in her life. About a year later Sheri friend’s insistence. This was the night she met him. His name was Joe
had another great loss in her life, her dad. “We were really close, and Torres and as Sheri said “It was love at first sight and could he dance!”
his loss was hard. He helped me start the business and came into the He caught her attention across the dance floor. This was one of the
office every day for quite some time. He stopped coming in and said regular places she went out to dance and she knew most of the crowd
‘Sheri, you’ve got this’ and a few days later he was gone. I had the job that showed up there, so when Joe showed up she knew he was new.
4 years, we started it on September 22 and he decided that was the day He was living in Cleveland and came to visit friends in San Diego. He
he would die. So he did. My dad had been a pilot and he always said had lived here, raised his kids here but had moved to Cleveland. Now,
that all pilots say that when they die they fly west because the sun never after getting divorced, was considering moving back to San Diego. Joe
sets so it is believed they will keep circling the globe and will forever had been dancing since the age of 8 and had owned his own dance
remain in flight. When he was passing, he was actually calling out his studio in San Diego called “Salsa Caliente.” They danced together that
flight checks. His entire family was around him, and I knew what he night and have been dancing together ever since.