Patrick Quinn, the co-creator of the Ice Bucket Challenge, has passed away aged 37.
His battle against ALS helped power the fundraising campaign in 2014 and raised over $220 million for medical research into ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
It was on March 8, 2013, when he was diagnosed with ALS.
The Ice Bucket Challenge went viral in 2014 and people started sharing photos and videos of themselves dumping buckets of ice water on their heads while urging donations for Lou Gehrig’s Disease research.
Days before he died, Quinn took to Twitter and told his followers that he had a tracheostomy, a procedure that involves creating an opening in the neck to insert a tube into the windpipe.
“A new way of life after tracheostomy, but its LIVING & I got s*** to do!” Quinn tweeted. “Last time I left the hospital, I was right back 1 day later with pneumonia/struggling to breathe.
“Round 2 today of going home! Wish me luck! I better be there for awhile!”
His supporters wrote on Facebook: “It is with great sadness that we must share the passing of Patrick early this morning.
“We will always remember him for his inspiration and courage in his tireless fight against ALS.”
Together with Ice Bucket Challenge co-creator Pete Frates who was diagnosed with ALS in 2012, Quinn gathered his friends and supporters to drunk themselves with a bucket of ice.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 12,000 to 15,000 Americans may have the condition. Up to 10 percent of cases are believed to be hereditary and there is still no cure.
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