Nia Mostacero.
Retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Nia Mostacero calls herself “an early-stage dementia warrior.”
Mostacero, an Idaho resident, was incorrectly diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2017 at age 42, four months after retiring from a 23-year military career. In 2022, she was diagnosed with suspected CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) with several TBIs (traumatic brain injuries). CTE is primarily caused by repetitive brain trauma and is associated with contact sports including football and boxing. She traces hers to her childhood because she was frequently beaten by her mother.
Mostacero, a frequent pageant contestant, uses her platform to promote early detection, treatment and ultimately a cure for all types of dementia. She is the reigning Miss Elite Idaho United USA and was Miss Meridian Idaho 2024 and Miss Show and Shine 2024. She volunteers with several organizations and is a Dementia Friends Champion, someone who helps organize sessions around understanding dementia.
Since her diagnosis, Mostacero has dramatically changed her diet and is now gluten- and sugar-free. She no longer eats processed meats and exercises seven days a week.
When did you first notice any changes? I think I can go back to when I was stationed in Japan back in 2012ish. I had a significant emotional event — I worked for a very difficult supervisor — and I feel like it broke my brain. I’ve been downhill ever since.
What led to the Alzheimer’s diagnosis? I was stationed in San Antonio in 2016 and was doing first sergeant duties. You’re on call 24/7, so you never get good sleep. I was starting to mess up on schedules, meetings, paperwork, and I’ve always been able to multitask. I couldn’t remember a lot of things. I was losing time. I would be in one space and not even know how I got there.
Was it an easy diagnosis? I had a male primary care doctor at the time. He sent me to mental health and said you’re stressed because you’re a leader. They put me on all these anti-psychotics and things and none of it worked. So, I changed doctors to a female primary care doctor. She was absolutely amazing because she sent me to a million specialists to figure out what was going on. I thought I had a brain tumor. Then we came up with the diagnosis. I thought I was going to die, because the doctor told me I only had five to eight good brain years left.
What was your reaction? I fell into a deep depression for more than a year. I withdrew from everybody. I stopped going to church. I didn’t understand what Alzheimer’s was. I thought it was for old people. We are military fit. You don’t deal with that in the military.
How did doctors determine you had CTE and not Alzheimer’s? At the end of 2021, I moved to Idaho from Texas, so I had a whole new health care team. My current neurologist looked at my stuff, (did some tests), and she said I had widespread atrophy, but not the pattern of Alzheimer’s. She asked, “Were you hitting your head? Were you in sports?” I told her I got hit in the head a lot when I was a kid, not as an adult. And she told me the thinks what I have is probable CTE. She said she was thankful, because I have a longer life with CTE than with Alzheimer’s.
How does CTE manifest itself in your daily life? Last week, I went grocery shopping, and I (later) found my meats in the pantry. I wander away from stuff, so if I’m cooking something, I have to stay in the kitchen. I’ve burnt things. I’ve almost set fires. I’ve had eggs explode because I lose time. I found a sandwich on top of the dryer. I have no idea how it got there.
What sparked your activism? The doctor told me to contact the Alzheimer’s Association. I did not do that until one day I saw a commercial, and that’s what brought me out of my depression. I started to volunteer, and they had me doing TV and talks. I started going back to church. I opened up a little bit more. That’s what got the ball rolling: My relationship with the Alzheimer’s Association.
What’s the main message you want people to understand? You’ve got to recognize the signs and get early diagnosis, early treatment, so you can have a good, quality life. Eliminate your stress. Your mental health is huge. I want to raise awareness about head injuries and brain health. I want people to realize that it’s not just athletes (who have CTE). Domestic violence, blows to the head — people don’t think about that. And I need them to start thinking about it.
