'Sky Blossom' Documentary Salutes Young Caregivers of Disabled Veterans

Even before he began filming the millennial and Gen Z caregivers who look after military veteran family members for his documentary, Sky Blossom: Diaries of the Next Greatest Generation, journalist and director Richard Lui was already aware of the sacrifices that caregivers are asked to make.

Seven years ago, Lui's father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, putting Lui in a predicament familiar to many caregivers: figuring out how to balance caregiving with a full-time job.

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"I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to keep my job or not,” he said.

To Lui's surprise, his boss was a long-distance caregiver, too, and allowed him to provide care for his father during the week and maintain his job as a national news anchor on the weekends.

As Lui began his caregiver journey, he found that the difficult experiences brought his family closer together. This birthed the concept of Sky Blossom, a film salute to the children and millennials who are going to school, holding down jobs and living out their youth, while at the same time looking after a veteran family member with serious medical conditions.

In total, there are 24.5 million children and millennials who care for the nation's disabled veterans and other adults, according to the film's producers, using data from an AARP report.

Despite the film's heavy subject matter, Lui said it carries an uplifting message. He compared it with the tributes that erupted in cities across the country for health care workers on the front lines fighting the coronavirus.

"This is that clap at seven o'clock. This is that screaming out the window. This is that resilience. It is a good moment,” he said.

The AARP-cosponsored film has received a 2020 Movies for Grownups nomination.

What is a sky blossom?

Paratroopers rushing to the aid of wounded troops were often called “sky blossoms.” In the film, the phrase is repurposed as a title for the younger generations who are heeding the older generations’ call of need.

Lui said he chose to focus on younger caregivers because there's little discussion about them. Millions are pulled away from their lives and budding careers, yet they are not widely recognized.

Despite the age of these caregivers, Lui said that older adults will find inspiration in the cross-generational aspects of the stories featured. “It shows how, even though groups are different, we are all the same.”