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ALS: Anyone’s
  L
ife Story”
May 2007
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MDA’s ALS Division introduces you to 31 people  - one each day for the month of May - who are living with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease). 

This series was inspired by Augie Nieto, ALS Division Co-Chairperson, who says that since his ALS diagnosis, instead of striving for success, his goal each day is to be significant.

In their own words, otherwise “ordinary” people describe the impact of living with a progressive, incurable and deadly disease. But their stories also tell how ALS has brought new significance to their lives in ways that you might not expect. 

ALS can become anyone’s life story. Please join MDA’s world-leading effort to stop it. 

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Read other stories by clicking the date on the calendar.
Jeff Young

Name: Jeff Young

City, State: Lake Oswego, Oregon

Age: 45

Family:
17 year-old daughter Priya, a senior at Lake Oswego High School

Hobbies/Interests: Creative and inspirational writing, coaching football, web design, big cats and primates.

Date of ALS diagnosis: Onset of symptoms was October 1983; official diagnosis was in May of 1984.

Life before ALS: I was a college football player, an honor student and a rock guitarist.  I was determined to first conquer the music industry and then Hollywood.  My life was all about me and seeking fame and fortune.

Life with ALS: With the help of family, I have successfully raised a wonderful daughter as a single parent.  I am the motivational coach for our local high school football team, and spend my free time writing inspirational messages to the nearly 1,600 subscribers to my daily inspirational message.  Life is a daily struggle, but with the struggle comes a greater reward and the infinitely greater opportunity to inspire and set an example for others.

How has ALS brought new significance to your life: My life used to be about me and achieving my objectives.  Now, whether I am instructing, motivating or inspiring my high school football players, writing to my e-mail subscribers or working on my inspirational book, my life is now about what I can give and how I can help others.  I fell God has allowed me to have this illness for a reason, and I feel a responsibility to continue to make lemonade out of life’s lemons as an example to others.

 
 
 
 
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