I have a good friend that I went to high school with that has been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gherig's Disease). Although Matt June graduated two years ahead of me, we played baseball together all through little league, Babe Ruth, and HS. He was young for his class and I was older for my class. In reality we should have graduated together, both in 1991 instead of him 1990 and me 1992.
My freshman year I started at shortstop and he (his junior year) was the secondbaseman. For two years we were the double play combination winning two district titles and finishing runner up in the regionals his senior year. In fact, his senuior year we went 26-1 with our only loss to Austintown Fitch in that regional game.
We've been connected, not just on the baseball field, but off as well. We hung out together in the offseason and now I am involved with his kids. His son, Dylan, was in my class a couple years ago and now plays baseball for me. His daughter, Rachel was inmy class last year. It's been tough trying to be the rock behind them as they watch their father slowly die.
Anyway... enough about us. Here's more about Matt. Upon graduating he enlisted in the army and spent his army career in Operation Desert Storm. The ALS disease he has been diagnosed with has been directly linked to gasses used in warfare for Desert Storm (Joe can probably elaborate more on this).
It's sad that a completely healthy person has been now restricted to a wheel chair and no research is funded by our government.
Just two years ago Matt and I were playing in softball tournaments together. Now, he can't even feed himself. That is how fast this disease operates.
We had a benefit for Matt at the end of May and all of his old teamates showed up from around the country. What a display of brotherhood.
Matt's days are now numbered. He has already surpassed what the doctors gave him for his life expectancy. Below is a video from a Tampa Bay Rays game. Matt lives in Tampa now as that is the only place that does research on the east coast. However, without stem cell research a cure will probably never be found and good people like Matt will be left to fight these battles alone.
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3J8_Dhd5kjc#t=90s[/video]
My freshman year I started at shortstop and he (his junior year) was the secondbaseman. For two years we were the double play combination winning two district titles and finishing runner up in the regionals his senior year. In fact, his senuior year we went 26-1 with our only loss to Austintown Fitch in that regional game.
We've been connected, not just on the baseball field, but off as well. We hung out together in the offseason and now I am involved with his kids. His son, Dylan, was in my class a couple years ago and now plays baseball for me. His daughter, Rachel was inmy class last year. It's been tough trying to be the rock behind them as they watch their father slowly die.
Anyway... enough about us. Here's more about Matt. Upon graduating he enlisted in the army and spent his army career in Operation Desert Storm. The ALS disease he has been diagnosed with has been directly linked to gasses used in warfare for Desert Storm (Joe can probably elaborate more on this).
It's sad that a completely healthy person has been now restricted to a wheel chair and no research is funded by our government.
Just two years ago Matt and I were playing in softball tournaments together. Now, he can't even feed himself. That is how fast this disease operates.
We had a benefit for Matt at the end of May and all of his old teamates showed up from around the country. What a display of brotherhood.
Matt's days are now numbered. He has already surpassed what the doctors gave him for his life expectancy. Below is a video from a Tampa Bay Rays game. Matt lives in Tampa now as that is the only place that does research on the east coast. However, without stem cell research a cure will probably never be found and good people like Matt will be left to fight these battles alone.
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3J8_Dhd5kjc#t=90s[/video]
