ALS.org

After a seven-year-long battle with ALS, Pat Quinn, one of the co-founders of the viral ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, died on Sunday. He was 37 years old.

“Pat fought ALS with positivity and bravery and inspired all around him. Those of us who knew him are devastated but grateful for all he did to advance the fight against ALS,” the ALS Foundation said in a statement.

The Ice Bucket Challenge was a multimillion-dollar movement that went viral in 2014 with more than 17 million people who participated worldwide. The challenge involved recording a video of ice water being poured on someone’s head and nominating someone else to participate in the challenge. The challenge was done to help raise awareness for ALS or most commonly known as ‘Lou Gehrig’s disease.’ Since going viral, the challenge has raised over $115 million dollars for the ALS Association.

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that impacts the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that help make both upper and lower body muscles work. Quinn, who was a New York resident, was diagnosed with ASL at just 30 years old. Following his diagnosis, he created a support group called “Quinn for the Win” to help him in his fight to raise awareness and funds for aid as well as research for the fight against ALS. There is little known about what causes the disease, and there isn’t a cure for it yet, but Pat, along with so many others, remain hopeful in their fight that one will be developed in the near future.

“He was a blessing to us all in so many ways,” The Quinn for the Win Facebook group said in a post. “We will always remember him for his inspiration and courage in his tireless fight against ALS.”

More from Beliefnet and our partners