BOCA RATON, Fla. (CBS12) — This week’s ‘Hometown Hero’ is turning personal loss into a powerful mission.

George Ackerman is pushing for more awareness, research, and support for families affected by Parkinson’s disease so that they never feel alone.

George lost his mother, Sharon, in 2020 after an 18-year battle with Parkinson’s disease.

As her caregiver for the last four years of her life, he saw days filled with hope immediately followed by heartbreak.

And he says that too often, they felt like they were navigating it all alone.

That’s why he started “TogetherForSharon”— a movement created in his mom’s memory designed to be a free resource and a community for families facing Parkinson’s.

His hope is that no one else has to search for answers without support.

“As a caregiver, my mother and I struggled,” he says. “We would try this. It didn’t work. Then we rotate. Try something else, it also didn’t work. And when you have that door slamming in your face every day, it’s a tough battle so I don’t want other families to ever feel alone in this fight, and I also don’t want anyone to have to go through the battle that my mother did.”

George’s impact has reached far beyond South Florida.

Last March, he represented Florida in Washington, D.C., advocating on Capitol Hill with the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

He’s heading back to D.C. again this month.

He also hosts a podcast where he’s interviewed more than 3,000 people around the world—including patients, caregivers, advocates, and public figures—all connected by this disease.

And he’s written several books with 100% of the proceeds going to Parkinson’s organizations.

George says if his work helps even one family feel less isolated in their journey, then every interview and trip to Capitol Hill and conversation is worth it.

If you’re looking for support for yourself or a loved one and you’d like to learn more about the resources available to you, visit the “TogetherForSharon” website.