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The man from New York who co-founded the viral “Ice Bucket Challenge” died Sunday after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – the disease for which he tirelessly raised awareness until he succumbed.
Pat Quinn, 37, from Yonkers, was diagnosed with ALS in 2013 and soon after created the social media challenge as a way to raise money for a cure for the disease, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“It is with great sadness that we must share Patrick’s passing early this morning. He has been a blessing to all of us in many ways. He will always be remembered for his inspiration and courage in his tireless fight against ALS, ”a post on the Quinn for the Win Facebook page read Sunday.
The Ice Bucket Challenge, which swept across social media from 2014, asked people to check in by throwing a bucket of ice over their bodies. The coup ended up raising more than $ 220 million for ALS research, the Yonkers Times reported.
More than 20 million videos of the challenge have been posted and have included celebrities like former President George W. Bush and Bill Gates.
“I am so saddened to learn that Yonkers has lost his fighter, champion and warrior, Pat Quinn. While Pat was known around the world as one of the founders of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, in Yonkers he was more than that – he was one of us, someone who fought until at the very end for the sake of others, ”Mayor of Yonkers Mike Spano told the local newspaper.
“Pat, who was an honorary Yonkers police officer, graciously accepted the challenges of his life and paid for it forward – a lesson we will never forget. During this Thanksgiving season, we are eternally grateful for Pat’s courage, compassion and leadership.
Even though ALS ravaged her body, Quinn kept a fighting spirit until the end.
“A new way of life after the tracheostomy, but it’s LIVE and I have shit to do! The last time I left the hospital I was back a day later with pneumonia / difficulty breathing. Round 2 today to go home! Wish me good luck! I’m still here. Be grateful for everything. Everything! ”Quinn wrote in a social media post on Friday, according to the outlet.
He recently visited his alma mater, Iona College, for one final Ice Bucket Challenge event – and also attended a Quinn for the Win golf outing shortly before his passing, the outlet said.
The ALS community of Greater New York City honored Quinn in a statement, calling him a “towering figure.”
Pat Quinn, a strong advocate and co-founder of the SLA Ice Bucket Challenge, has helped change the course of the fight against ALS, raising hundreds of millions of dollars for research and bringing hope to patients and families around the world. whole, ”the community said. .
“He was an inspiration to all of us. While his efforts made an impact across the world, Pat was a beloved figure in our own backyard. The ALS community of Greater New York was proud to know Pat, and it was a privilege to fight alongside him.
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