I am Norma Jean Womack
a friend of someone we've lost to ALS
California
Ed was a huge inspiration to me from the day I first met him in 1997.
My friend, Edward McNeill, lived 41 years after being diagnosed with the bulbar type, starting in his speech. He was born in 1936 and died in 2021 in hospice.
Here’s a quote from Ed:
“Maintaining a positive, cheerful attitude, I believe, is a key factor to my living so long with ALS, sans feeding tubes, respirators, etc. Of course, in my case, a loving wife and family has been the greatest asset of all.”
Ed was a huge inspiration to me from the day I first met him in 1997. I would add to his quote above. I believe other reasons he lived so long are:
1. his very strong Catholic faith
2. his contagious humor
3. his connections with many people
4. his using his cognitive abilities eg. he wrote four fiction novels
To read more, see the Muscular Dystrophy Association MDA/ALS Newsmagazine of January 2006
Norma Jean Womack
