“I can’t imagine what this was like for them.”

ALS, sometimes referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease or motor neurone disease, impacts nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to progressive paralysis of the muscles. ALS causes patients to gradually lose the ability to walk, speak, eat, and breathe independently, while their cognitive abilities remain intact. There is currently no known cure, and most people with ALS are expected to live for three to five years after their diagnosis.