The Day My Father Came Back – Dan Cohen (Awakenings In Real Life) | Part 1

What happens when someone you love slowly disappears… and then suddenly comes back?

In this powerful episode of Who Is Your Hero, Buzz sits down with Dan Cohen, author of the memoir Awakenings In Real Life and host of the podcast of the same name.

Dan shares the deeply personal story of his father, Herbie — a loving, larger-than-life man who spent years battling dementia after suffering a stroke. Like many families facing this cruel disease, Dan watched the man he admired and relied on slowly fade away.

But then something extraordinary happened.

In the summer of 2015, after years deep in the grip of dementia, Dan’s father suddenly awakened.

For nearly 48 hours, the fog lifted.

The man the family thought they had lost returned — speaking clearly, sharing memories, expressing love, and reminding everyone around him that even after years of illness, the human spirit is still there.

In Part 1, Buzz and Dan explore:

• The incredible man Dan’s father was before dementia
• Growing up with a father who could make the impossible possible
• The heartbreaking experience of watching a loved one fade mentally
• Why dementia feels like “grieving someone while they’re still alive”
• The importance of telling people how much they mean to you while you still can

This conversation is emotional, honest, and deeply human — a reminder that the people we love are still there even when illness tries to take them away.

And it raises one powerful question:

Are we telling our heroes how much they matter while they’re still here?

🎙 Guest: Dan Cohen
📖 Author of Awakenings In Real Life
🎧 Host of the Awakenings In Real Life Podcast