The Creator Of The Ice Bucket Challenge Can’t Afford His Medical Bills

You might not know who Pete Frates is, but you’re certainly familiar with his work—and may have even felt the icy splash of the phenomenon he created. Frates was the man responsible for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that raised millions upon millions of dollars for those stricken with the disease.

Frates and his wife

He’s also suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and is inundated with medical bills stemming from his fight with the debilitating disease.

Frates is currently on life support in his home at a cost of roughly $3,000 per day, where he’s tended to by medical professionals, as well as his wife, Julie, and two-year-old daughter. Julie wholeheartedly believes that it’s the presence of his family that gives Pete the will to keep fighting for survival, and says a move to a medical care facility, away from his daughter would kill him. “Pete's life would be over,” she said to WBZ.

With medical bills mounting and little relief coming from insurance, the family is asking for some help of their own. Together with benefactor Rob Griffin, they’ve launched a new ALS Association charity fund, known as the Home Health Care Initiative.

A fundraiser will be held in Pete Frates’ name on June 6th, but those who desire can donate.

Frate’s work in the fight of ALS has been nothing short of heroic. The viral videos raised a staggering $115 million over eight weeks. That windfall is credited by the ALS Association as vital to last year’s research breakthrough, which identified a gene responsible for the degenerative disease.

To give participants and the public at large an idea of just how successful this viral phenomenon was in fundraising, GOOD produced the video below quantifying the benefits.

Millions of ALS sufferers, their friends, and family members owe a debt of gratitude to Pete Frates and his family. Now seems like an excellent time to repay the favor.