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ALS Association
Pat Quinn, co-founder of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that went viral in 2014, has died.
Pat Quinn, co-founder of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that took social media by storm in 2014, has died.
Quinn, 37, was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), one month after his 30th birthday in 2013.
The ALS Association announced his death in a statement Sunday.
Pat fought ALS with positivity and courage and inspired everyone around her. Those of us who knew him are devastated but grateful for all he did to advance the fight against ALS. “
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The challenge, inspired by former college baseball player Pete Frates who died in 2019, raised $ 220 million (NZ $ 316.5 million) for ALS research worldwide and $ 115 million ($ 165.4 million New Zealand dollars) for the ALS Association.
After her diagnosis, Quinn saw a video of the challenge on social media and decided to use it to raise funds and awareness of the disease.
“No one knew that the Ice Bucket Challenge would become a global phenomenon, but we came together because that’s what it takes to change a disease like ALS,” Quinn said at an event marking the fifth anniversary of the challenge.
Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images
NASCAR driver Brian Vickers participated in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014.
“The disease has taken away my ability to walk, my ability to speak; Now I eat through a tube in my stomach; and I wear a mask for a respirator that literally keeps me alive. I’d be dead without him, because that’s what ALS wants. He’s going to attack until one of us loses. “
“Life is too amazing for me to let this disease get in my way. What makes one truly alive is not just living. It’s the way we live. “
Thousands of people participated in the viral challenge and videos of the event were viewed millions of times online.
People like Oprah, LeBron James, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates participated, as did Donad Trump before his election.
