The Motorcycle Ride That Brought Hawkeye Back for One Hour

Parkinson's sensory memory recovery creates impossible moments you assume disease prevents. Your friend has Parkinson's. You visit with old photos from decades ago. He remembers the scene, the crew, the cameras. But he can't remember how it feels. The wind. The movement. The freedom. Those sensory memories are gone. You assume they're gone forever. Mike Farrell brought a MASH photo showing him and Alan Alda on a motorcycle from the set. Alan looked at it and said he couldn't remember the wind. So Mike put him on his motorcycle and took him for a ride.

At the end, riding behind Mike with his face against his back, Alan said softly: I remember now. Mike asked: Remember what? Alan answered: How it feels. Wind, movement, freedom. Mike posted the photo of them on the motorcycle as old men alongside the original MASH set photo. The caption ended: For one hour Hawkeye was back. The disease didn't reverse. The memories didn't permanently return. But for one hour, re-experiencing the sensation brought back what talking about it couldn't.

When someone you love disappears into Parkinson's or dementia, you're searching for any moment they come back. You can describe memories to them. You can show them photos. Sometimes you need to put them back in the actual experience to trigger what words and images can't reach.

Topics: Parkinson's sensory memory, MASH actors reunion, Alan Alda memory recovery, dementia friendship care, motorcycle therapy

Originally aired on 2026-02-03