Name: Chris Rice

City, State: Houston, Texas

Age: 42

Family:
Wife – Reda Rice
Children – Tori (11), Mason (8) and Shelby (7)

Hobbies/Interests: Baseball and computers,

Date of ALS diagnosis: October, 2001

Life before ALS: The way I characterize my life before my ALS diagnosis, is that I was living a dream.  I was married to a wonderful wife (and still am), had three great kids (and still do) and had a job in the information technology field that I loved.  I was studying to get my computer engineering certification.  I had exactly what I had strived for in my life.  A great family and a great job!

Life with ALS: I describe life with ALS, as a life of adapting to the reality of new circumstances.  I have been blessed with a slow progression, and have had to adapt to, as the disease progresses, not being able to do things that most people take for granted in everyday life.  I continue to stay busy, in an unofficial capacity, as I am now retired.

How has ALS brought new significance to your life: Since being diagnosed with ALS, I have realized just how lucky I am, with all of the friends and family who in different ways have shown how much they care.  I believe that everything happens for a reason.  My ALS diagnosis brought me together with MDA, and that somehow, my family’s involvement with MDA may have brought awareness to this orphan disease, and be closer to an eventual cure.

The Ross Report ( December 16, 2005)
Houston Couple Named to Co-Chair MDA ALS Division (ALS Newsletter: March 2004 volume 9 no.: 3)
Doing the Math.(MDA/ALS Newsmagazine: May 2004 volume 9 no.: 5)
Through the Eyes of a Wife . Thanks (MDA/ALS Newsmagazine: June 2004 volume 9 no.: 6)
ALS Is Not Who I Am (MDA/ALS Newsmagazine: August-September 2004 volume 9 no.: 8)
Some Thoughts as 2005 Approaches (MDA/ALS Newsmagazine: December 2004 volume 9 no.: 11)