2023-24 LLL Impact Report - Flipbook - Seite 3
ABOUT
LIVE LIKE LOU
The Alexander family chose to Live Like Lou
when Neil Alexander was diagnosed with ALS in
2011 at the age of 47. A devoted husband, father,
brother, and friend, Neil was a lawyer, life-long
Pittsburgh Pirates fan, brother of Phi Delta Theta
Fraternity (just like Lou Gehrig!), and unabashed
devotee of Neil Diamond.
Three years after his diagnosis with Lou
Gehrig’s disease, he died from it. But that’s not
the end of Neil’s story. Neil was determined from
the moment he heard the words, “You have ALS,”
that his certain death from the disease would not
be his 昀椀nal chapter. Like his hero and Phi Delta
Theta brother Lou Gehrig before him, Neil wanted
his children, Abby and Patrick, to remember him
as courageous, strong, and—most importantly—
grateful for the life he had lived.
Along with his wife Suzanne, and hundreds
of families and friends, Neil established the
grassroots effort LiveLikeLou.org in 2012. Today,
we honor the legacy of Lou, Neil, and all those
gone too soon from this disease. We lift up the
caregivers and family members who’ve given
tirelessly.
The Live Like Lou Foundation is a national
nonpro昀椀t organization dedicated to our vision to
leave ALS better than we found it. Our mission is
to create and connect communities to stimulate
emerging ALS research and uniquely support
families affected by Lou Gehrig’s disease. We
do this in honor of Major League Baseball Hall of
Famer Lou Gehrig and the more than 30,000
people living with ALS throughout North
America.
Lou Gehrig brought international attention to
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) upon his
diagnosis in 1939. As 昀椀rst baseman for the New
York Yankees, he played in more consecutive
baseball games than any other player—2,130 to
be exact. He symbolized indestructibility and was
known for his courage, gratitude, and humility. He
died two years following his ALS diagnosis, and
to this day, the disease is still most closely
associated with his name, often referred to as
Lou Gehrig’s disease.
It was his reaction to his greatest
challenge—the fatal diagnosis of ALS—that
made Gehrig a household name and a beacon of
strength for all those facing the disease. He lived
his life—and faced his ALS diagnosis—with
courage, determination, and gratitude. This is
what it means to live like Lou.
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