Letter About Reagan Illness to Be Shown

Ronald Reagan’s letter announcing he has Alzheimer’s disease will go on display near Simi Valley this spring, flanked by letters from well-wishers touched by his highly personal disclosure, officials at the presidential library said.

Reagan’s letter prompted thousands of Americans to write him back--using ink, crayon, pencil and printed type, said Richard Norton Smith, director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

The library plans to display a dozen of the responses around Reagan’s letter, neatly handwritten in black ink on his own gold-embossed stationery last fall.

Scheduling of the exhibition will depend on how soon a display can be designed and made, Smith said.

On Nov. 5, Reagan’s office faxed the two-page letter to news agencies around the country, revealing that the 83-year-old former President is suffering from the incurable degenerative nerve disorder.

Reagan’s office in Century City declined to discuss his current medical condition, citing respect for his privacy.

However, spokeswoman Cathy Busch said in a written statement, “Naturally, there’s a progression due to the nature of his illness.”

Response to Reagan’s letter has been overwhelming.

About 25,000 people have written back--some to his offices and some to his library--expressing sympathy for his condition and offering prayers for his health, Smith said.

“We are just really beginning to dip into them. There’s boxes and boxes here,” Smith said. “Many, many people express gratitude for Ronald Reagan’s life and presidency, their admiration for his performance in office and, inevitably, sadness.

“Ronald Reagan touched people,” he said. “It went beyond politics.”

The letters spanned age groups, geographical boundaries, even political lines, Smith said.

“It’s intriguing,” he said. “Some people go out of their way to identify themselves not only as Democrats but as people who might not have agreed with his policies. But they are writing to express their admiration.”

Many relate their own experiences with Alzheimer’s, he said. The disease kills about 100,000 people in the United States each year--a death rate for adults that ranks only behind heart disease, cancer and strokes. About 4 million people suffer from the disease.

“A lot of people refer to their experience in their own families,” Smith said. “They have a father with the disease or an uncle. . . . It’s very emotional.”

Volunteer docents at the library have begun mailing out copies of a thank-you note Reagan composed to all the correspondents, Smith said.

The handwritten thank-you, again on stationery bearing Reagan’s name and the presidential seal, begins:

“Dear Friend: Nancy and I are deeply grateful for your kindness following the announcement of my illness. Individuals like you give us the courage and inspiration to move forward. With your prayers and God’s grace, we know we will be able to face this latest challenge. May God bless you. Sincerely, Ronald Reagan.”