Thieves Steal Alzheimer's Victim's Computer With Family Photos To Help Her Remember

CHICO (CBS13) — A computer with thousands of pictures designed to keep the memories of a woman suffering from Alzheimer's alive was stolen.

Seven years ago, when Ray Normal was terminally ill, his wife Trisha took care of him when he couldn't walk or eat solid food.

"And then she got sick so it's my turn," he said.

After Trisha's Alzheimer's diagnosis, Ray, a computer repairman all his life, took care of his wife the best way he knew how. He built her the best computer money could buy.

"It had all the bells and whistles of the fastest computer in the state," he said.

It had all of her critical medical information, but more importantly it had priceless pictures of their family and friends. Trisha would look at those pictures, recognize them and remember. It was the best way to keep her memories from slipping away.

And now, it's gone.

Ray got up early one morning to unlock the door for their caretaker at the Chico senior apartment complex where he and his wife live. Someone slipped in between 5 and 7 a.m. and ripped off the special computer. They also took cash, jewelry and medications.

"I can't believe somebody would come in here and take anything from us. This is a senior project this whole thing is seniors; they don't have anything," Ray said.

He tried to help people. In his spare time, Ray fixes people's computers for free. He's hurt someone targeted him, but more than anything he wants those pictures back for his wife.

He's been able to recover some of the pictures he had backed up on another computer, but not all of them.