William L. received the worst news imaginable on his 30th birthday-- he had ALS. ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a type of motor neuron disease in which the body attacks motor neurons, or the nerve cells found in the brain, brain stem and spinal cord resulting in the loss of control of muscle movement. Patients progressively worsen losing the ability to walk, move their arms, eat food or swallow, speak or breathe on their own, eventually resulting in death.
William is a loving, generous and compassionate husband, nephew, and cousin. He never misses any family get-togethers and always makes each and every family member feel special. For his wedding, William asked his 6 year-old cousin to be his best man. In addition to enjoying nerf wars with his cousins, William is a popular DJ at the Jersey Shore. He is a well-known performer at the famous Tiki bar on the beach of Point Pleasant, NJ and Joey Harrison's Surf club on the beach of Lavalette, NJ. His love and passion for life and his family shine through his music and bring many diverse people much joy.
Since his diagnosis of ALS, William has been robbed of the ability to do many of the activities he enjoys. He says that living with ALS is like trying “to move in quicksand.” Despite the symptoms of this debilitating disease, William is always quick with a smile and a joke. His easy-going nature, kind personality, and light-hearted spirit put everyone at ease even in the most difficult and sad of situations. Like so many other ALS patients, William and his family cannot wait for treatment.
Become a health advocate for people with ALS like William, please sign and share the petition to support Group Expanded Access Programs today.
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