Tio Joaquin was diagnosed with ALS in the summer of 2015.  Over the course of the next 2.5 years, we saw him struggle, lose his ability to talk and walk, but his joy never faded. On January 18, 2018, I lost an important man in my life and my life has not been the same since.  There are still days when I wish I could run over to his house and sit on the couch next to him. I miss him so much and wish with all of my being that I could get just one more hug from him. This walk is more than just a walk for me. It's a way to remember my uncle and keep fighting for him, even though he's no longer here. 

The picture shown above is from my masters graduation ceremony at UH. It was in the middle of December in 2016 and it was COLD. Regardless of the weather or how he was feeling, my uncle was there to see me walk across the stage to see me get my masters degree, he never missed a milestone in my life. My uncle has played and will continue to play a huge role in my life. Growing up, he stepped in for the absence of my father and helped my mom raise my brother and I. He never hesitated to take us on his family trips, invite us to Sunday lunches after mass, or buy me what I needed for school. If it wasn't for my uncle, I wouldn't have ever visited Disney World at such a young age. One of my favorite memories of us happened over 8 years ago when he drove me to UT and helped me move into my very first apartment. 

On October 26, my family and I will walk in memory of my uncle to raise awareness and money for a cure against ALS. Any donation, small or big, would be greatly appreciated. We will keep fighting. 

 Thank you in advance!