Name: William Ross
City, State: Yonkers, New York
Age: 69
Family:
Wife - Marie
Children – William Jr., Kathy, Michael, Jean
Grandchildren – Meghan, John, Emilyn, Brian, Allegra and Leila
Hobbies/Interests: Currently – reading, watching TV, listing to poems and stories on tape, watching cowboy movies. I love when people visit and talk about happy times and memories.
Date of ALS diagnosis: October, 2000
Life before ALS: I was a teacher, writer, playwright, producer, Little League baseball coach and artist. I liked long walks, seeing and producing plays and teaching my grandchildren the joys of being a Yankee fan.
Life with ALS: I can do nothing for myself. My only movement is moving my eyebrows a bit. I depend on someone for everything. On a ventilator even means being dependant on machines and electricity. We watch TV, read from the Internet, go to parks and watch the grandchildren play. I like to be where people are.
How has ALS brought new significance to your life: I realized work was not as important as enjoying life and watching my grandchildren play. Little things matter greatly now, someone kind enough to hold a door open or wish me a nice day instead of averting their eyes. |
