the happiest man in The world. Wanted to be Pete Frates, when he learned seven years ago that he was suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (als). He knew this non-curable degenerative disease of the motor nervous system, because even his Idol, the professional baseball player Lou Gehrig, had suffered from it. The had the 4. July 1939 in the stadium the New York Yankees, drawn by AS his resignation is announced, and the unforgettable sentence: “I consider today as the happiest people in the world.”

in 2014 there were thousands of people on the “Ice Bucket Challenge”. Photo: Keystone

Only a few people are likely to remember Frates. Who has not spent the last years behind the moon, which is likely to know of the Initiative, or even participated in, the Frates has made in 2014 famous for: the “Ice Bucket Challenge” (the report). People have filmed it, as you tilt a ice water filled bucket over his head, three friends to nominate, and then a minimum of ten dollars to the als research donations. According to conservative estimates, have come together through the “Ice Bucket Challenge” to about $ 200 million.

“75 years after the brave words of Gehrig, there is still no cure,” wrote Frates in the year 2014 in an Essay for the sports news website Bleacher Report. “That’s not acceptable.”

Frates, once a Baseball Star at the Elite University, Boston College, learned after an injury in a game of his disease, he wanted to stay as his model of Gehrig optimistic and prefer to look for solutions to despair instead of the disease. He chatted on an Online-platform with Pat Quinn, who was also AS sick, and the voice of this action, the people with ice water abschütteten to attract on attention for a good purpose.

“He has not complained Once about his illness.”Statement of Frates family

Frates, 29 years old, nominated in his Video on July 31. July 2014, not only friends, but celebrities, athletes such as football Pro Tom Brady. The action was a lesson in how content about famous catalysts on social media can spread. Joined: Bill Gates, Steven Spielberg, Charlie Sheen. Or even the former U.S. President George W. Bush, world footballer Lionel Messi, Kermit the frog. Helene Fischer, Cem Özdemir, Heidi Klum.

It is a dumb was a sense, certainly, and some of the prominent indulged in the “Ice Bucket Challenge” inside Narcissus – it is a lot of money, however, came incredibly. The Non-Profit organization A. L. S. Association (ALSA) got about a total of $ 115 million. They announced in July of 2016, that you have identified, due to the donations of the Gene NEK1 and efficient treatment options can work. “It’s unprecedented, what Pete initiated has,” says Lucy Brujin, a senior scientist of ALSA. “I’m going around the world, and everyone knows about the Ice Bucket Challenge and ALS.”

Video: research success, thanks to the Ice Bucket Challenge A team of researchers has discovered a Gene that contributes, in many cases, to nervous disease. The study was financed with the donations from the Ice Bucket Challenge. Video: Tamedia

Frates remained optimistic, even if he knew well that all the donations are not likely to extend his own life, or even save. He married his wife, Julie, and his last words before he lost the ability to speak, negotiated in August 2014 of how happy he was that he would experience the birth of his daughter Lucy – the happiest man in the world.

“He has not complained one single Time about his disease,” it says in the Statement his family. “He saw it as a challenge to change the course of this disease, for it has no cure and no treatment given, – if not for themselves then for others.” He is, without a doubt.

Pete Frates died on Monday at the age of 34 years in Boston. Many patients have found because of him new courage to face life, and his family published a message, that Frates was, therefore, at the end of his life exactly what he wanted to always be: the happiest man in the world.

Created: 10.12.2019, 10:36 PM