I’m Still Here….

Chris is an athlete, a First Responder EMT, a world traveler, a loving partner, son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend to everyone he meets. He has volunteered with the homeless, respectfully fits into any situation and with his sense of humor and heart of gold it’s easy to see his love of life

In early 2017, Chris noticed some muscle weakness in his leg. After over a year of testing to rule out all other possibilities and continued progressive loss of muscle control. Doctors in the fall of 2018 diagnosed Chris with ALS.

Through the challenges of this last year, and even upon his diagnosis, Chris has maintained an unrivaled positivity that lifts even the lowest spirits of those around him. His kindness and generosity of spirit extend beyond his own illness to a hope that researchers and doctors will learn how to fight ALS and ease the suffering of all those struggling with this terrible disease.

Once diagnosed, those afflicted with ALS usually have a 2–5 year life expectancy. They gradually lose the muscle control necessary to walk, move, speak and eventually the ability to breathe on their own. In order to extend someone’s life expectancy, it’s imperative to have 24-hour in-home care which can cost over $200,000 a year.

Chris is doing everything he can by staying positive, focusing on a clean diet and educating everyone he meets on the challenges of ALS, but ultimately needs our help to make sure he has the proper long term care that will allow him to live a full life.