I'm running in the New York City Marathon (Nov.3, 2024) with Team ALS to raise funds that will support individuals and families affected by ALS.  Your donation today will help ALS United Greater New York fund resources and services to the local ALS community, help find new treatments, and move us closer to a world without the disease. 

I am running to honor the memory of Tracie Ann Brennan, who passed away on July 20, 2024, following a two-year struggle with ALS.  Tracie was my high school sweetheart and we both went to Rutgers for freshman year before we transferred to other schools.  Tracie was a standout athlete, playing field hockey at Rutgers and being inducted into The Peddie School Sports Hall of Fame along with her colleagues on the 1978 Women’s Softball Team.  We stayed in touch over the years, but after Tracie’s ALS diagnosis, we were in contact much more frequently and with greater introspection.  When I mentioned that running the NYC Marathon was on my bucket list, she encouraged me to go for it!  So here I am!  There was nothing I could do to help Tracie, but maybe through our efforts, we can help others by stopping the scourge of ALS.  Thank you Tracie, for everything!

 IN MEMORIAM

  TRACIE ANN BRENNAN

(1960 - 2024)

My first girlfriend, my high school sweetheart,

We went off to college together but slipped apart,

Yet never so far that we couldn't get it back.

You chased your dreams and followed your heart,

Grew your family, honed your craft, made your art,

So many good years, it was easy to lose track.

We all have our time, one day less right from the start,

ALS took your body but couldn't take your heart,

You inspired us all, now we'll take up the slack.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive disease of the nervous system that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. 

• Every ninety minutes, someone is diagnosed with the disease, and someone passes away from it.

• 90% of ALS cases occur without any known family history or genetic cause. The remaining 10% of ALS cases are inherited through a mutated gene with a known connection to the disease.

• 55 is the average age of onset with most people who develop ALS between the ages of 40 and 70. However, cases of the disease do occur in people in their twenties and thirties.

• ALS is 20% more common in men than women. However, with increasing age, the incidence of ALS is more equal between men and women.

• Military veterans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with the disease than the general public for yet unknown reasons.

This is why running with Team ALS is important to me. Please help me move a cure for ALS over the finish line by donating today.

Please feel free to send this page to any friend or family member who might be interested in donating.