ICE-BUCKET CHALLENGE FOUNDER, ALS SUFFERER PAT QUINN DIES AT 37

Pat Quinn, a motivational speaker and co-founder of the ice bucket challenge, died Sunday at the age of 37 after a seven-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (AlS), Eugene Rapay reported for the Rockland/Westchester Journal News.

The ice bucket video challenge became a viral sensation on social media in summer 2014. Quinn remained committed to the fight against ALS, starting the Quinn for the Win foundation and giving talks at schools and events in Westchester, New York, and across the country, USA TODAY also reported. Since the ice bucket challenge's inception, it has raised more than $250 million worldwide.

Quinn's foundation donned the colors of one of his favorite sports teams, the North Carolina Tar Heels. He also loved the New York Yankees. Quinn was diagnosed with ALS in 2013. ALS, often called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. There is no cure for the fatal disease.

Quinn grew up in Yonkers and attended Iona Prep. He graduated in 2006 from Iona College, where he played rugby. The school dedicated the southwest corner of Mazzella Field as "Pat Quinn Corner." It awarded him the first Pat Quinn Courage Award in 2019.