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YONKERS, New York: A co-founder of the ALS ice cube challenge on social media, which has raised more than US $ 200k (RM818.10k) worldwide for Lou Gehrig’s disease research, died Sunday at the age of 37 years old, according to the ALS Association.
Pat Quinn was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in 2013, a month after his 30th birthday, the organization said in a statement announcing his death.
“Pat fought ALS with positivity and courage and inspired everyone around her,” the association said. “Those of us who knew him are devastated but grateful for all he did to advance the fight against ALS … Our thoughts go out to the Quinn family and all of his friends and supporters. Many of us love Pat within the ALS community and around the world. “
In 2014, Quinn saw the ice bucket challenge on social media from professional golfer Chris Kennedy, who first challenged his wife’s cousin, Jeanette Senerchia, to grab a bucket of ice water, throw it on her head, post a video on social media and ask others to do the same or to make a donation to charity. Senerchia’s husband had ALS.
Quinn and co-founder Pete Frates, along with their teams of supporters, helped popularize the challenge. The ALS Association said Quinn “knew it was the key to raising awareness of ALS,” calling it “the largest social media campaign ever.” Frates, a former Boston College baseball player, died in December 2019 at the age of 34.
When the two picked it up, the phenomenon exploded, the organization said. Thousands of people participated in the viral trend, including celebrities, sports stars, and politicians, including Donald Trump before his election and the cartoon character Homer Simpson. Online videos were viewed millions of times.
“It dramatically accelerated the fight against ALS, leading to new research discoveries, expanded care for people living with ALS, and significant government investment in ALS research,” the organization’s statement said.
Lou Gehrig’s disease, named after the great New York Yankees player who suffered from it, is also known as ALS or motor neuron disease. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that leads to paralysis due to the death of motor neurons in the spinal cord and brain. There is no known cure.
The organization added that Quinn continued to raise awareness and funds after popularizing the challenge. In 2015, the association recognized him, among others, as “Heroes of ALS”, an award given to people living with the disease and who have had a significant positive impact in the fight against it.
On the fifth anniversary of the challenge, Quinn, who was from Yonkers, New York, addressed a crowd in Boston.
“No one knew that the Ice Bucket Challenge would become a global phenomenon, but we came together because that is what it takes to change a disease like ALS,” he said. “There are warriors all over the world who are unwilling to accept it as a death sentence … We will never stop fighting together. I will not leave this Earth until I know that the next person diagnosed with ALS has a real plan to live with this disease, not just die from it. “- AP
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