Pat Quinn, co-founder of the Ice Bucket Challenge, died at 37 after battle with ALS

Pat Quinn, co-founder of the Ice Bucket Viral Video Challenge, has died at the age of 37 after a seven-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The ALS association announced Quinn’s death on Sunday morning.

“It is with great sadness that we must share the death of Patrick early this morning”, posted the association ALS online. “He has been a blessing to all of us in so many ways. We will always remember him for his inspiration and courage in his tireless fight against ALS.”

Quinn was first diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease in March 2013 at the age of 30. Motivated by his friend and inspired by the Ice Bucket Challenge, late Pete Frates, Quinn has created a team of supporters to raise money for the fight against ALS. Quinn fell on the Ice Bucket Challenge on social media where people have been challenged to pour a bucket of ice water over their head, contribute to the cause and encourage others to do the same. Quinn knew this was essential to raising awareness about ALS.

The Ice Bucket Challenge took social media by storm in the summer of 2014, making Quinn a viral sensation. Since its inception, the challenge has raised $ 115 million for the ALS Association and over $ 220 million for ALS research.

Following the Ice Bucket Challenge, Quinn spoke with groups across the country to raise awareness of the effects of ALS on a person’s voice and the importance of voice banking through Project Revoice. He continued to host an Ice Bucket Challenge each year in his hometown of Yonkers, New York, and created a social media campaign to get people to “FindUrSmile”. Quinn was also nominated along with Frates as Time magazine’s “Person of the Year”.

Quinn spoke to a crowd gathered on the fifth anniversary of the Ice Bucket Challenge and encouraged people to continue contributing to the fight against the disease. “Nobody knew the Ice Bucket Challenge would become a global phenomenon, but we came together because it is what it takes to change a disease like ALS,” he said.

ALS is a disorder of the nervous system that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. There is no cure for the deadly disease.