ALS fundraiser to honor the leader of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, the late Pete Frates

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – The Ice Bucket Challenge helped raise more than $100 million to fight for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly referred to as A.L.S. or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The Ice Bucket Challenge got a boost of popularity thanks to Pete Frates. Mr. Frates learned about the Ice Bucket Challenge in July 2014 from a friend, Pat Quinn, who also had A.L.S. He posted a video of himself doing the challenge on Facebook that month. Tagging his friends as well as professional athletes and “The Howard Stern Show,” Mr. Frates explained in clear terms what the challenge consisted of: “You have 24 hours to dump a bucket of ice over your heads!!”

Next thing you know, the challenge had gone viral and millions of people began participating and “challenging” other people to participate and donate.

Pete’s friend Taylor Stupin and Melissa McElvain from the local chapter of the ALS Association told us more about Frates life and what they are doing now to raise money to fight A.L.S.