J.T.'s friends are walking all over ALS challenge

The Virginian-Pilot
© October 16, 2008
By Stacy Parker

Correspondent

OCEANFRONT

Before the effects of a physically debilitating disease took hold of Josh Thompson's body, backyard Sunday football games were a staple of life for him and his friends.

"Josh has a phenomenal arm," said longtime friend Alex Quick.

"He was always the quarterback," Chris Giroux added.

His friends will run with a different ball Sunday as they walk the Boardwalk to raise funds for research and care of people suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Thompson's friends and family have organized the J.T. Walk and have partnered with the ALS Association's "Walk to Defeat ALS," to be held Sunday at the Oceanfront.

"We put a goal in place to have over 1,000 walkers, which we have already surpassed," Quick said.

More than 2,200 people have signed up for the J.T. Walk; it has raised nearly $250,000.

All of the funds will be donated to the ALS Association, which supports research efforts for a cure and provides care and support for people with the disease and their families.

According to www.alsa.org, ALS is a progressive fatal neurodegenerative disease that attacks the motor neurons, making movements such as walking, speaking and gesturing nearly impossible.

People with ALS are generally paralyzed in the later stages of the disease. In most cases, however, the mind is unaffected. The disease was named for New York Yankees first baseman, Lou Gehrig.

Most people who develop the disease are between 40 and 70, with an average age of 55 at the time of diagnosis, the association reports on its Web site. But the disease can strike people who, like Josh Thompson, are in their 20s or 30s.

"Our goal is to raise awareness for ALS, but just as important, help people who are less fortunate who have been struck by the disease," Quick said.

Thompson, 34, was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's two years ago. He has two young children. His father, Bruce Thompson, is chief executive officer of Gold Key/PHR Hotels & Resorts.

"The friends of our entire family have rallied around him," Kathy Thompson, Josh's mother, said.

Instead of football on Sundays, Josh's friends took up poker. One friend constructed a chair for Josh to use while they played cards and a special box that could hold his cards. As more people looked for ways to support the Thompson family, Bruce Thompson helped put together a plan to form 10 teams for the ALS walk.

Each team was to be comprised of 10 people and each member was asked to recruit 10 walkers. "Josh's Boys," for example, is comprised of his close friends and has raised more than $40,000.

"It was guerilla marketing," said Chris Thompson, Josh's brother, who is heading up the "Virginia Gentlemen for J.T." team.

More teams formed including "Mom's Love/Josh's Warriors" by Josh's mother.

J.T. Walk participants will wear T-shirts and carry signs at the walk and will be lead by a local high school marching band.

The Virginia Gentlemen Foundation also is hosting a beach party following the J.T. Walk, at 31st Street on the beach. The event is free for all who participate in the walk or tickets are available for $30 to be donated to the ALS Association.

Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Butter and WAVA will perform and oysters, barbecue and more will be served. A children's area with a petting zoo, cotton candy and clowns will be a part of the party.

"I am very overwhelmed and thankful for all the support," Josh Thompson, a Rudee Heights resident, said in a statement. "It gives me even more resolve to beat ALS."

He has been looking at the jtwalk.org Web site each day to see who has signed up for the walk and the amounts pledged.

"It really reaches out to him," said his brother.



Stacy Parker, stacyparker@cox.net

http://hamptonroads.com:80/2008/10/j...-als-challenge