Last night I caught a very moving film. I didn’t see the entire movie, but what I caught was very inspiring. “So Much, Sa Fast” is a documentary of the final years of a 29 year old man diagnosed with ALS.

The very same disease took my grandfather way before his time. It was so long ago I barely remember him and definitely don’t remember him healthy. I suppose what moved me about the film, other than that personal connection, was the way his family rallied around the young man profiled in the movie. They all became hell bent on curing this disease.

What is peculiar about ALS is how little is known about it and how quickly it deteriorates those stricken with it. Some last months and others, like Stephen Hawking, can live years with the disease. Nobody knows if it is genetic or environmental. For what it is worth, the man in the movie was an Engineer. So too was my grandfather. Maybe there is a relation, although I doubt everyone researching it has failed to make that connection.


So for myself and my family, we all have the very real possibility that any one of us could come down with this disease. There’s no cure and medical science generally writes you off. This is likely due to the fact that long term survival is virtually non-existent and the nature of the disease is all but unknown. Things like this always gets me thinking of how briefly we are all here and how precious each healthy day is.

If nothing else, I just hope they play “Untitled” by the Cure at my funeral.