Abraham Downey, 21, sits on the front porch with his mom, Toni Bloodworth, 42, at their home in Kennett, Mo. Abraham lives in the home and cares for his mother who suffers from multiple mental illnesses and early-onset Alzheimer’s. 

Abraham returns to his home with medicine for his mother. He learned about his mother’s psychotic break that occurred when he was a child by researching the police record of when his mother turned herself in for a crime she imagined. 

Abraham pets one of his family’s dogs on his mom’s bed in his home while Toni stares out the window in the front room. Abraham cares for his mother who suffers from multiple mental illnesses and an early onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis. He cooks most of his family’s meals and attended culinary school for a time. Abraham wants to own his own food truck one day. 

Abraham sits on his mother’s bed with Maverick, one of their family’s dogs, and looks out the window. “You can’t help what your past is,” Abraham said. He understood his mother didn’t receive the help she needed to manage her mental health issues when he was younger, and he now provides her the help he previously couldn’t as a child.  

Toni, snuggles one of her family’s dogs, Dottie, who the family named because of the dot on her back in the backyard of her home. Toni deeply loves her three dogs — Maverick, Sammy and Dottie — and is training Dottie to be a seeing-eye dog for her husband, Aaron, who is legally blind.

Abraham clasps his hands together at the living room table at his home on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024 in Kennett, Mo. He said he misses the tools and freedom of culinary school because they allowed him to be creative. “You don’t follow a recipe for Southern cooking."

Toni sits by the window in the front room of her home while Abraham stands beside her. In addition to having early onset Alzheimer’s, Toni suffers from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. 

Toni sits with Abraham by the main window of their home. After arranging and rearranging the furniture, the family gathered around the window in the front room. Downey said the light gives contrast to the space, allowing Aaron to see the food Abraham prepares for the family.

Abraham gazes through the living room window. Abraham said he loves watching the clouds move across the sky and enjoys being able to “be still.”

Abraham sits in a chair on the front porch of his home. He said he can’t imagine living his life anywhere else.