Our Hosts

B. Smith and Dan Gasby
The Distinguished Hosts for ‘Too Soon to Forget’

“I remember from getting that diagnosis, when we left the hospital. We walked eight or nine blocks, and she looked at me and she said we’re going to tell people, because the one thing we understood from being in front of the camera and public eye is that people make things up, and people connect dots that are not there, and the only way to have any sense of your own serenity, and confidence in what’s going on is for you to tell people exactly what you’re dealing with, so you ultimately define yourself.”

Dan Gasby from ‘Too Soon to Forget’

B. Smith was diagnosed with younger onset Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 62. True to how she and her husband Dan Gasby have lived their lives, they are facing this new challenge with class, dignity and a strong sense of purpose. B. Smith was a true entrepreneur: a super model and one of the first African-American women to appear on the covers of Mademoiselle and on five covers of Essence. She owned and ran three “B-Smith” restaurants for several decades. B. was a successful magazine publisher, a television personality, recognized lifestyle maven, and an acclaimed celebrity chef with regular segments on the NBC Today Show. Dan Gasby worked in the television industry for most of his career. He was a media sales executive and producer for both network and syndicated programs. With B., he helped launch her magazine and lifestyle retail brand. Today, their mission has changed. They have become ambassadors for younger onset Alzheimer’s disease. Sharing their personal stories, they have addressed conferences across the country, appeared on countless television programs and in numerous articles. Along with Michael Shnayerson, a Contributing Editor with Vanity Fair, B. and Dan have authored Before I Forget, a New York Times Bestseller, which shares their journey with Alzheimer’s disease. We are honored to have B. and Dan host our documentary and to share their story on Too Soon to Forget: The Journey of Younger Onset Alzheimer’s Disease.

For more information, contact: Susan Frick, MSW, LSW