I am Russell Newton

I was 59 years old and living in the Bay Area. I woke on May 4th and had a funny feeling in my mouth. Like most men, I just ignored it and went about my day. But I noticed that day I mangled a multisyllabic word. When I could no longer speak a multisyllabic word correctly, time for the doctor. Six months later I was diagnosed with Bulbar Onset ALS. I am now 61, 22 months into this illness and I can no longer speak or eat food by mouth. But I decided early on to embrace the positive so I start out by saying I am fully mobile.