EXCLUSIVE: 'He was the most amazing dad - but his chilling action told me something was wrong'
Hayley O’Rourke's father started acting strangely - then she found out the heartbreaking truth
Fawlty Towers legend Prunella Scales, who died on Monday, was one of the nearly one million people in the UK affected by dementia - with Alzheimer's disease being the biggest cause. But it is not a normal part of ageing, despite its prevalence in the elderly population.
Mum-of-two Hayley O’Rourke, 39, of Bristol, works full-time in HR for the National Grid. Her dad, Tony Bullock, 76, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2023.
She says: “It’s a juggle being a ‘sandwich carer’. Dad moved in with us 10 years ago, and while he still knows his family, he can get angry and aggressive with us - it’s hard helping the children understand why he’s being that way.
“The change in the last two years has been unbelievable. He was fun-loving, sociable, he played with the kids. Now he doesn’t even say hello - he has no interest in them.
“He was the most amazing dad but we started noticing signs something wasn’t quite right. He hit the neighbour’s wall in his car and just drove off - he used to have integrity. He started behaving strangely in social situations, he couldn’t read social cues. And whenever I challenged him he would just stare through me.
“I was almost relieved when his diagnosis explained what was happening.
“I’ve had to give him an AirTag to wear when he goes out because he gets confused. I obtained Power of Attorney for him after 25 boxes of Graze snacks turned up - he didn’t remember ordering them."
Hayley is organising the Forget Me Not spring charity ball at the Aerospace Bristol on Friday March 6, 2026, to raise money for Alzheimer's Society, and hopes every ticket will sell out. “The hardest thing is losing a piece of him every day. I’ve had therapy to learn how to differentiate between the Dad in my head and the one in front of me," she adds.
It will take a society to beat dementia. See how you can help and visit alzheimers.org.uk to donate, volunteer, campaign or become a Dementia Friend.