400 Gallon ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Link to support those affected with ALS: every90minutes.org

If you are interested in purchasing a shirt to help support Brad and his family, please email his daughter Caitlin for further information. Shirts are $20 each:
[email protected]

Here is Brad Gildenblatt’s experience with ALS:

In October 2013 his legs first began to give out and he started falling. In March of 2014 he started showing signs of ALS. Brad realized his leg wasn't working correctly and he was a lot slower.
During Easter 2015, he was still able to walk, but with much more difficulty a lot slower. It was difficult for Brad to get up and down from his seat.
In July 2015, Brad began driving a special car with the controls all on the steering wheel. He drove for a good 7-8 months with them.
In September 2015 Brad wasn't walking much. He was able to stand on his own but he used a wheelchair often to get around.
October 2015, Brad could barely walk and was in his wheel chair 95% of the time. He had leg braces on to help keep his legs straight. Thanksgiving 2015, he was in his wheelchair 100% of the time and his right leg completely gave out. Brad could still move his left leg but the right one was completely done. He had to be helped getting into chairs or the car because it was difficult on his own.
We took a family photo supporting ALS and made the Brads ALS Stars to support him. He could stand with us helping him but couldn't on his own. We always had to be holding him up.
During Christmas of 2015, he was in his scooter 100% of the time. His left leg was getting weaker so it was hard for him to stand, even with us helping him.
Easter 2016, Brad could not stand anymore and his left leg was significantly weaker. His speech was giving out and it was hard for him to talk and even eat. Due to the tongue being a muscle, that gives out too.
Fathers day 2016, he was losing a ton of weight. His speech was still giving out more and his arms were starting to get weak and his shoulders started to hurt.
During May 2016 on a family vacation to LA, Brad was the same but it was more difficult for him to swallow and eat. It was hard for him to chew so it took him longer to eat. Imagine your tongue not working correctly and having to chew and swallow your food without choking..
Brad then had to get an eye level wheel chair so he could be eye level with you when you are talking to him. With getting that, we had to get a mini van conversion so he could go in the car. They took out the front seat for him so he can just drive up in there. It’s huge inside and is great when we take road trips to Houston to see his doctor. The eye level chair can raise him up and make him your height so its like he's standing. If he wanted he could live in it, which some people have to do. It can lay all the way back, has a cup holder, a place to charge your phone and he tricked it out with LED lights, rims, and blinkers.
In July 2016 Brad and his family took a vacation to Vegas. Brad lost a good amount of weight, his speech was a lot worse, swallowing and chewing was a lot worse and it was like a chore to him. His arms were still getting weaker. Pretty much from this point on, he is completely dependent on his family.
September 2016, he got a feeding tube put in so he can gain his weight back and now he doesn't have to eat which helps him a lot. He also is on a breathing machine now to make him feel more energized. He also has another machine that sucks out all his salvia because he produces a lot and cant spit it out.
At this point pretty much only Brad’s immediate family can understand him. Sometimes people can hear some words but not a lot. Brad’s family got him a tablet that you can use with your eyes, and is his voice now. You move your eyes over what letter you want, or phrases, or anything you want to do and it speaks for him.
His family has to help him up because his arms are too weak. Both of his legs are pretty much unusable, with his arms not too far behind.
Since March of 2016, it was like a bomb that went off. He has progressed so much but now with his feeding tube we are hoping he levels out again and its much slower from now on. He still is on seizure medicine and still has minor seizures here and there.
What really gets to his family and those around Brad is seeing such a strong independent man go through this and become completely dependent on his wife and daughter. Not many people understand what ALS is and what it does to your body. You become paralyze but still can feel everything. ALS is not widely known but it needs to be so we can make a difference and find a cure and show the government that ALS lives matter.

Please keep Brad and his family in your thoughts and prayers