Walking to D'Feet ALS - Photo Essay

The crowd of familiar school bus drivers and friends had all gathered around Carlos, his handsome Brasilian face shone in the midmorning sun, and the smile on his face said it all.  It had been eighteen months since I’d first laid eyes on Carlos. His quiet smile remained, but instead of standing and gesturing like he’d done before he now sat immobile and strapped in a wheelchair. His wife and three sons stood proudly behind him.  My heart sank, oh God, this hurt…tears welled.

As I took my place among our group and the hundreds of other walkers, Carlos was leading the way in his wheelchair. Smile unwavering he directed us up one street, then down another, around and around we went. My toes hurt, my hips ached, I needed water, but my conscience scolded, “You stupid fool, you really oughta have something to complain about, keep going!” Chastising done, I trudged on, stopping only to snap a few photos of this great group of smiling, resolute people banded together for the cause.

The crowd was growing by the minute as my hubby and I made our way toward the sign which said "Registration - Walk to Dfeet ALS" last Saturday morning. I had never walked for a cause before, so this was something new, unknown and a bit mysterious. After obtaining our participation t-shirts, we spotted my hubby's school bus driving co-workers and headed toward the group sign which said, Drivers, Walking for the Cure, Carlos Superstars.

I’d heard of Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) before, but had never known anyone afflicted. Baseball legend, Lou Gehrig, first brought national and international attention to this disease in 1939 when he abruptly retired from baseball after being diagnosed with ALS. Heck, I’d watched the movie, “Pride of the Yankees” several times, but, until I knew someone afflicted it just never “hit home.”  For that, I hang my head in shame. Although 30,000 people suffer simultaneously from this disease, the how’s and why’s remain for the most part, a mystery. Studies show only a 5-10% occurrence within families and scientists have isolated a gene passed on genetically, but, this does not account for the other 27,000 - 28,500 known cases.

 As we neared the finish line our group slowed and stopped. What was going on? With camera in hand I made my way to the front of the column just in time to see two men, remove the straps from around Carlos chest and gently grab him by the forearms and hoist him to a standing position. Very slowly, step by tiny step, with crowds cheering, Carlos walked over the finish line.

For ALS there is no cure, no encouraging person to say, “I’m a survivor!”  We need one desperately.

For more information regarding ALS please check out:

http://www.alsa.org