Coping With Dementia

Mary Ann and Ernest Zepeda have been happily married for over 50 years. The past four years have been a struggle, however, as Ernest's mind slips further and further away as a result of Alzheimer's disease. I recently spent an afternoon with the couple as they shared memories-- or at least, for Ernest, what was left of them.

Mary Ann Zepeda, of Victoria, looks through old photo albums with her husband, Ernest, at their home in Victoria, Texas on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013.

For four years, Ernest Zepeda has struggled with dementia and the onset of Alzheimer's disease. His wife, Mary Ann, first became concerned when Mr. Zepeda seemed transfixed by hallucinations of people hiding in the bushes in the couple's backyard.

Since Mr. Zepeda's diagnosis, Mrs. Zepeda has sought support from church groups as well as educational books and DVD's on Alzheimer's disease.

Mary Ann and Ernest Zepeda walk through their living room at their home in Victoria, Texas on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013.

Since Mr. Zepeda's diagnosis, Mrs. Zepeda has taken full responsibility for his care.

Old cassette tapes line the wall at the Zepeda family's home in Victoria, Texas.

Despite Mr. Zepeda's deteriorating condition, he still finds time to play music, something he did professionally in the 1960's and '70's.

Victoria Advocate | October 4, 2013

Single: Boot Fest

Last weekend, fellow photographer at the Victoria Advocate, Mason Trinca, and I, photographed Victoria's largest annual festival over the course of a few days. The event, which took place at DeLeon Plaza in the heart of Victoria, drew thousands of people from neighboring counties to partake in a fun two days of live music, food and games. Check out our gallery by clicking here.

Trace Laza, 4, of Bloomington, rolls around in his blue inflatable ball at the Water Ball pool put on by No Fear Sports at Bootfest in Victoria, Texas on Friday, Oct. 4, 2013.

"I Treat These Kids Like They're My Own": Victoria Advocate (multimedia)

Ian Terry | iterry@vicad.com

Single: Victoria Cyclist

John Klemczyk, 47, of Victoria, rides his bike through Riverside Park in Victoria, Texas on Sept. 19, 2013. Klemczyk has packed his year with the Houston Marathon, Iron Man, climbing Mount Rainier and riding the route of the 100th anniversary of the Tour de France. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Victoria Advocate | September 27, 2013

Custom Guitar Pedals: Victoria Advocate (multimedia)

Victoria Advocate | September 24, 2013

Zionist Church: Victoria Advocate

Last week I had the opportunity to photograph the Crossroads region's only Christian Zionist church as they celebrated their three year anniversary.

Here are a few shots from their Saturday and Sunday services:

Life Impact Church on Port Lavaca Highway is a Christian Zionist church, meaning they observe Jewish tradition within Christianity. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Dylan Harmon, 19, of Victoria, listens to a sermon with his 6-month-old son, Luke, at the Life Impact Church in Victoria. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Life Impact's licensed minister, Janice Vargas, of Victoria, reads scripture at the church in Victoria. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Noe Martinez, center, of Victoria, listens to a sermon at the Life Impact Church in Victoria. "We read a lot of the Old Testament," Martinez said, "I like the unity we have here." (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

The Rev. Raymond Vargas, of Victoria, delivers a sermon at Life Impact Church in Victoria. "We are a nondenominational church, a free chapel," Vargas said, "My main goal as a pastor is to produce great citizens here." (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

The Rev. Raymond Vargas, of Victoria, wears a tallit, a traditional Jewish prayer shawl, with embroidered Hebrew scripture at the Life Impact Church in Victoria. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Sam Moasky Johnson, of Goliad, blows into a shofar at the Life Impact Church in Victoria. "They are so receptive of the Jewish faith here," Johnson said. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Ron Chambers, center, of Victoria, reads scripture with his sons Nicholas, 13, left, and Joshua, 9, right, at the Life Impact Church in Victoria. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

A churchgoer listens to a sermon at the Life Impact Church in Victoria. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Single: Rain Delay

When it rains in Texas, it rains hard in Texas...

Hard enough to completely cancel the religious spectacle that is Friday night high school football. Friday night's game at Memorial Stadium in Victoria, Texas was the first I've covered for the Victoria Advocate, a newspaper I'm currently here completing a multimedia internship with.

I was expecting a pretty standard evening of shooting-- grab the first half, then transmit at halftime before heading back to the newsroom-- but the story quickly changed when lightning, thunder and a torrential downpour roared into the area and forced a cancellation of not only the game I was at, but also every other game going on that evening within the paper's coverage area.

In short, the story was no longer football, it was weather. I snagged this photo before scampering back to the press box to dry out:

Victoria East High School cheerleaders, from left, Anna-Ashley Spence, Kirsten Click and Sydney Warner huddle together in the rain at Memorial Stadium in Victoria, Texas on Sept. 20, 2013. Heavy rain and lightning would eventually cancel the game between Victoria East and CC King midway through the first quarter. (IAN TERRY/ITERRY@VICAD.COM)

Victoria Advocate | September 21, 2013