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Hometown, state: Jasper, Minn.
Age: 51
Family (spouse/partner; child, grandchildren): Two sons, ages 21 and 19.
Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with my two sons, toy collecting, classic cars, bluegrass and gospel music.
Favorite quote: No matter where you go, there you are.
Date of ALS diagnosis: February 2002
Tell us about your life before ALS: I was a hardworking farm hand striving to raise two children on my own, spending time with them in any way I could and taking them to all of their sports practices.
Tell us about your life with ALS: My priorities have changed. I value time with my two boys and am more thankful for the smaller things in life. I have a better understanding of God’s plan for my life.
Do you have a “life motto” or profound words to live by? I have come to the understanding that it is God’s plan, not my plan. I have always had faith, but ALS has led me to reevaluate my life.
Has there been an “aha!” moment or a specific turn of events that has helped you live with ALS? There is no date or experience that has tied me to my “aha” moment, but one day I woke up and decided I was going to try not to look at the big picture. I try to take each day as a 5x7 picture and piece them together.
Tell us how ALS has brought new significance to any aspect of your life — family, attitude, hobbies/passions, career, etc.: Through my experience, I have been very humbled because of the generosity of other people. I have been privileged with the opportunity to know how I am going to leave this earth and have been given time to do things I want to do before I go. I have persevered with a positive attitude.
Is there anything else about you and/or ALS that you want to share with people who read your story? I could dwell on what I could have done, would have been or what I could be; however, I choose to live every day in the moment, knowing that what is will be. I have decided to be happy with the lot in life that I have been dealt.
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