ALS and Wayne Fuller - Changing Lives for the Better
It’s easy to cruise along through life when things are going well. When we face adversity – like receiving an ALS diagnosis – the arc of our lives changes. The question is, how do we handle adversity and which path will we take going forward? Will we be angry, and lash out at everyone, including those we love? Will we be despondent, and fade away quietly? Or will we tackle the challenge head on, and make the most of our “new normal?”
If you knew Wayne Fuller, you know precisely which path he chose, from the moment he learned he had ALS. Wayne was determined to live whatever time he had left his way, on his terms. That meant never complaining, never losing that smile or twinkle in his eyes, and having as much fun as possible with his family and friends. He also dedicated himself to becoming an unstoppable force with respect to ALS advocacy, be it raising awareness, participating in clinical trials, or fundraising.
While it’s true that Wayne believed he had to be the best at everything, his ALS advocacy efforts were far from self-centered. He understood that the odds of any of his efforts saving him were minimal at best. He looked beyond himself to help “future me’s” – those who down the line would receive the same horrific news that they had ALS, but who might survive because of advances in ALS treatment.
Here’s a quote that poignantly describes how Wayne’s life, and those of so many he knew and didn’t know, changed for the better because of ALS:
“Some people pass through our lives in a shorter time frame than we had hoped to teach us things they never could have taught if they stayed.”
The pre-ALS Wayne was great, but the post-ALS Wayne was incredible. He showed us first-hand an unfathomable strength of character we might never have witnessed had he remained healthy. If we’re lucky, we’ll remember the lessons he taught us about how to live – and how to die, with grace and dignity.
Now, it’s up to us to carry Wayne’s legacy forward. To smile on the days we experience pain. To never give up hope. And to selflessly help others in need – the “future me’s.” That’s why our Fuller Friends team remains unbroken. That’s why we continue to participate in the Walk to Defeat ALS and raise money for the ALS Association. It’s what Wayne wanted. It’s what he taught us.
Please join and support our team today! Our work is not done. We’ve got lives to change for the better, including our own.