Lifestyle expert, chef, and former model B. Smith has been living with Alzheimer’s since being diagnosed in 2013. She’s had an illustrious career that includes a TV show, a home goods brand, multiple restaurants, and cookbooks.

But it is her husband, Dan Gasby, who is at the center of a heated discussion over their marriage. Dan – who has been married to Smith for 26 years – has a girlfriend. In 2017, he met Alex Lerner, a 53-year-old divorcee, and the two became friends. Though Lerner had her misgivings at first, eventually their relationship became romantic.

Gasby is still Smith’s husband as well as her full-time caregiver as she continues to battle Alzheimer’s. For the past month or so, he’s been sharing photos on social media about his new partner and did an interview with the Washington Post where they talked about their relationship.

Lerner has a room in the couple’s East Hampton, New York home when she comes to visit, and has even stepped up to share in caregiving duties with Gasby and his adult daughter. Opinions are divided over the arrangement with many criticizing Gasby for “bringing his mistress into the home.”

Some have even accused the two of abusing Smith. He has defended his actions by pointing to the difficulties of being a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s. Gasby has also found supporters, but some wonder if it is a good idea for him to be making things so public on social media or in the news.

Smith’s health has been on a decline and Gasby says that now, her sentences are jumbled, and she has memory and recognition problems. Though the family says they talked to her about Lerner, they are unsure if she fully understands.

Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease where many watch and care for their loved ones who deteriorate into a fragment of who they once were. It is painful, and each person has their own way of coping. Click below to learn more about this story.

What are your thoughts on Gasby’s actions? Do you think you’d do the same thing if you were a caregiving spouse?