'It's the longest goodbye': Cary's 'Trumpet Man' raises $14,000 for Alzheimer's research after wife dies

Almost every evening for the past three years, he's stood on the sidewalk with his trumpet – playing patriotic songs, well-known hymns or classic melodies. His music has become part of the twilight comings-and-goings of downtown Cary's culture.

He's Cary's 'Trumpet Man.'

You'll see him around sunset, standing behind a collection bucket and a sign with two words in bold: Alzheimer's Research.

He keeps track of the nights he's been out there: It's been almost 300 performances, and in that time he's raised an astonishing $14,000 in donations to help fight the disease.

It's a cause that's close to his heart.

"My wife of 23 years had Alzheimer's," Kingsley said. "She passed away seven months ago."

For five years as her symptoms progressed, he took care of her.

Kingsley is an Air Force veteran and charter member of the Cary MacGregor Rotary Club. He's a church-goer who spent years singing in choir. When he met his wife, he found she shared his love of music and going on mission trips.

"I graduated from high school in 1957, and then signed up for the Air Force in 1960. My last station was Seymour Johnson Air Force Base," he said.

His wife Georgeanne began having symptoms of Alzheimer's five years ago.

"It got progressively worse, which is one of the markers," Kingsley said.

When her sons came to visit, he'd remind them to introduce themselves again, to say their names and that they were her sons.

"She may or may not recognize you," he said.

Whether or not she always remembered who he was, Kingsley took his vow "in sickness and in health" seriously. For five years, he cared for her – even taking her on little trips and outings to keep her spirits up and make memories together.

In the end, after years of progressing symptoms, Kingsley said she probably didn't remember him anymore.

"It's the longest goodbye," he said.

While she was still alive, Kingsley had already begun playing trumpet to raise money for Alzheimer's Research. Some locals may remember that when he began playing the trumpet several years ago, he'd often have a woman sitting behind him, snuggled beneath blankets in a wheelchair.

These days, Kingsley is often joined by friends and fans who stop by to hear his music. When children pass by, he hands out stickers and stars.

"It's a good reason to get out of the house and interact with the community," he said. "I consider it my ministry."

Whenever he's out here playing his songs and raising money, he said people often share their own stories of Alzheimer's impact on their own lives.

"Every time I play trumpet, somebody will come and tell me about their own wife, their own mother," he said. "It's pervasive."

Maybe, he said, his time and money will help prevent more 'long goodbyes' and lost memories in the future.

"Hopefully, it'll help somebody," he said.

The next time you're walking through Downtown Cary and hear the sound of a trumpet, take a moment to visit with the "Trumpet Man." You can add a donation to his bucket.