As many of you know, my beloved friend, Cai Emmons, died on January 2, 2023, from bulbar-onset ALS. Cai was many things, including a longtime, trusted reader and a gifted, prolific, award-winning writer. She was a guiding light in how to live, how to write, how to live as a writer, how to love, and how to be brave as shit.

She was, as I liked to joke, my only non-neurotic friend and the only intelligent optimist I'd ever met. She was remarkable and irreplaceable and gone too soon. The life expectancy of a person with ALS averages 2 to 5 years from the time of diagnosis. Cai lived for three years between the onset of symptoms and her death.

ALS can strike anyone, and presently there is no known cause or cure. That’s why I’m walking. To change the statistics. To bring help and hope to those living with the disease. To ensure that no one ever hears the words: “You Have ALS” again. 

Please consider walking with me or sponsoring me. With your help, we will be able to make a difference in the lives of people affected by this disease.