SEATTLE — Gayle Walters is a woman on a mission.
"This is a great day for working in the garden," she said.
The garden she's referring to? The public spaces in her Queen Anne neighborhood.
"Well, I'm a gardener, and I see things that need attention, and sometimes I just pick up my tools and find one of my caregivers. And we go, 'we'll, you know, attack these situations.'"
This 84-year-old battles disorder from clogged gutters to overgrown blackberries. Lately, with some help. Because Gayle is also battling Parkinson's disease.
"Oh yes, I have Parkinson's, yes, yes, and it's no fun, but it's basically just kind of getting older on speed," she said,
Walters used to do this work herself - now she can't.
Caregiver Marelyn Harbison finds herself in a unique position with this client - administering pills and picking up pruners.
"I thought I was taking care of her, but I didn't expect I was taking care of the streets!” Harbison said.
"She is a very good sport,” Walters said.
After all, someone's got to "attack these situations."
"Nobody's in charge. You know this, the city doesn't do anything, as far as I can tell,” Walters said.
Gayle Walters plans to keep tending her own garden as long as her body lets her.
“I love to be outside, you know, I have the usual aches and pains of somebody my age. But when I'm outside, working or just doing nothing, really, I am distracted," Walters said. "I’m completely distracted. I mainly love the plants. I just, you know, I just feel they're my friends.”
And she'll keep tending her neighborhood's garden as long as she has a caregiver like Marelyn Harbison, who’s willing to lend a helping hand.
KING 5's Evening celebrates the Northwest. Contact us: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Email