An Amazing Group of Friends and Family
Our Amazing Daughter, Katy
Our Banner Proudly Waving!
Gene's Special Interview 
Oliver hitching a ride with Grandpa
Just enjoying the scenery
Here we come! 
So Many Great Friends! 
"Faster Oliver, we are almost there!" 
"What's everyone looking at?" 
"What's for lunch?"
Thank you to everyone that made GENE'S DREAM TEAM a ‘Dream’ come true! Sunday, October 19th was a beautiful day at the De Anza Cove in San Diego! It was a beautiful day because 51 of our family and friends came to support Gene and participate with us in the 7th annual Walk to Defeat ALS. There were many others that were not able to be there, but also showed their support with kind well wishes and their generous donations on behalf of Gene's Dream Team; we thank them as well! I don't know what the final dollar figure for our team is, but it cannot compare to the great reward of knowing that we are loved and cared for by such wonderful people. Words of gratitude are insufficient to say thank you to everyone that participated!
How wonderful it was to spend time together with good friends and our dear family and to see those friends and family that we do not get to see on a regular basis. We are especially thankful to our wonderful kids who helped us with all the little details and practicalities; they have been a great source of encouragement to us every step of the way. Even our 15 month old grandson Oliver got into the act! He enjoyed riding with grandpa on his wheelchair and afterward sitting on any empty beach chair that he could find!
Gene was also unexpectedly interviewed by CBS affiliate KFMB TV News 8. Unfortunately, we did not see it aired, but we have heard that it was on the 6:30 PM broadcast. We are working on receiving a copy of it and if there is anyway that we can put a link to it, we will do so. I was so proud of Gene as he spoke quite eloquently words from his heart about the disease of ALS, his friends and family that were there, his sense of being part of something much bigger than himself, and his gratefulness to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
All together, there were about 2000 people that participated in yesterday’s Walk to Defeat ALS. During the walk it was such an encouragement to see all the various walk teams supporting their own friends and family that are afflicted with ALS. Many people with ALS were able to participate with their teams using their wheelchairs, scooters and walkers; it was sad and encouraging at the same time to see others in various stages of the disease. There were, also, those that were walking in memory of a loved one that had ALS and have since died.
It is hard to imagine that only 9 months ago ALS was not something we ever gave thought to, because we did not know anything about it; now it has changed our whole world. ALS has brought out the best and the worst in us; that is something we would like to share about with you next time. Not only that, ALS has given us the opportunity to be reminded how very important it is to be connected to a community of family and friends, sharing our lives together and caring for one another.
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