Dr. Pat Collins held up his hand, showing a finger that bends nearly perpendicular to the others.

“My dad always taught us that as life goes on, you’ll be able to count your best friends on one hand, and one of them better be your brother," said Collins, of Hayden. "This symbolizes my brother. I broke my finger on Super Bowl Sunday in 1981. It’s always been crooked, and so there was a long time when I would think about that, that he’s in my top five, but he’s really not there anymore."

Pat and his big brother, Mike, used to do everything together.

They spent their whole lives together. They played accordion as youngsters, spent summer days fishing and enjoyed adventures as boys did before cellphones and video games existed.

When they got older, they married sorority sisters two weeks apart. They went on more adventures sailing, rafting, hiking, biking, traveling, playing guitar and riding motorcycles.

"We did a cattle drive and drove in the cows, just like Billy Crystal, just like ‘City Slickers,’” Pat said with a laugh. “And we went whitewater rafting. I miss the Harley riding. Mike had a Harley for his 50th birthday and my wife bought me one for our 25th anniversary. For 10 years we went touring, in Canada and southern Utah, mostly."

The brothers were only 16 months apart in age. When Mike was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's at the age of 58, it was the first time any distance entered their close relationship.

"I don’t know how many people have only one sibling and then that person you think you're going to spend the last 20 years of your life doing stuff with comes down with Alzheimer’s and dies at 67," Pat said. "I mean, that’s pretty weird, especially with no family history."

Mike died July 23, 2015, after battling Alzheimer's for almost 10 years. Pat said early on, he would have fun with his brother's lack of short-term memory and kept being active with him as long as he could, but eventually, Alzheimer's won.

“At some point, your brother doesn’t know who you are, or that you’re even there, for that matter,” he said. "I guess what I’m saying is July 23 is the official day of his passing, but to me, it was, in a lot of ways, long before that."

In memory of Mike, Pat and a few friends organized "The Mike" Cross Country Golf Challenge, which raised nearly $12,000 for the Alzheimer's Association during its inaugural event in June. It was scheduled as a part of the Alzheimer's Association's Longest Day fundraising and awareness efforts and took place on golf courses in Hayden, near Seattle and in New Jersey. The teams were named "Mike," "Mike 2" and "Mike 3."

The Longest Day takes place near or on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and reflects the long days that patients endure with the disease and that caregivers experience when caring for Alzheimer's patients.

"It's just one of those diseases where you never know what's in store," said Mike's wife of 44 years, Carol. "There's usually a certain timeline, but you know, for me, it's taking every day and trying to make the best of each day with them and your family."

Carol said she was honored to care for Mike and stay by his side until the very end.

"Being on the road together is the way I looked at it," she said. "He knew me, he definitely knew me, there would be a little spark there."

Mike and Carol have a lake home in Coeur d'Alene, where he spent some of his last years in a memory care residence. She slept on a cot in his room to be near him and saw how much the staff adored him.

"I could see how he affected the people around him," she said. "Just because you’re robbed of being able to talk or communicate, you never know what you give to people."

Carol said for "The Mike" event on the Longest Day next year, they hope to incorporate other sports activities to honor the many things Mike liked to do.

Pat said he and their friends will continue to do what they can to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's.

"I always think of the first (guitar) song that we learned together," he said, referring to "Get Together” by the Youngbloods. "In the words of the song, it talks about, ‘You hold the key in your trembling hand. Just one key unlocks the door, it’s at your command.’ The key to Alzheimer’s is research. It’s the sixth-leading killer of Americans, and the only way it’s going to get solved is to elevate it to a higher priority."

Becca Verda, communications and marketing manager for the Alzheimer's Association, Washington State Chapter, which serves North Idaho, said the association is grateful to Pat and all those who support them in the fight.

"Because of volunteers like Pat, the Alzheimer's Association is able to provide support and resources to people in need," she said. "Participation in events like the Longest Day and the Walk to End Alzheimer's fight stigma, spread awareness and support our vision of a world without Alzheimer's."

For information about Alzheimer's and the Alzheimer's Association, call (800) 272-3900 or visit www.alz.org.