ALS Ice Bucket Challenge co-creator Patrick Quinn passes away

Patrick Quinn, whose personal battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) had inspired the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge fundraising campaign, has died. Quinn, 37, died on Sunday, seven after his initial diagnosis, his supporters announced on Facebook.

Quinn was born in Yonkers, New York and also grew up there. He was the Co-Founder of the viral campaign that had managed to raise $220 million for medical research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, according to his Facebook page. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Quinn was diagnosed with ALS on March 8, 2013.

"It is with great sadness that we must share the passing of Patrick early this morning," his supporters said on Facebook. "We will always remember him for his inspiration and courage in his tireless fight against ALS," they added.

Soon after the announcement, messages of condolences to the Quinn family started to pour in on social media. Many expressed their gratitude for the spotlight that Quinn had drawn towards ALS through his campaign.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge had gone viral on social media in the summer of 2014. Thousands around the world were pouring buckets of ice-cold water on themselves in order to raise awareness about ALS and to urge people to donate towards ALS research.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that around 12,000 to 15,000 Americans have ALS. Researchers estimate that roughly 5% to 10% of all ALS cases are hereditary in nature. The cause of the disease is still unknown and no cure has been discovered yet.

Quinn was nominated for Time Magazine's "Person of the Year" along with ALS activist Peter Frates for raising awareness about the disease and promoting research. Frates died in 2019, seven years after his diagnosis.

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