Ice Bucket Challenge's Full Meaning

A dozen years ago my family had little knowledge of ALS or as it’s more commonly known, Lou Gehrig’s disease. However this soon changed.

My father’s lung was removed due to cancer and simultaneously, my mother’s voice started becoming weaker. We felt this was due to a stroke which occurred due to the stress of her husband’s surgery. Unfortunately, her voice continued to deteriorate and we began to realize it was something more than a stroke. As currently there isn’t a test to determine if someone has ALS, it was many months before we learned she had ALS. Fortunately the ALS Association of Northern Ohio provided great comfort, insights and patience with our family as we struggled to learn about this little known disease and come to term with my mother’s terminal illness.

My mother (Emily Gertrude Jump Whipple) was formally diagnosed with ALS in the spring of 2003 and after spending as much time with friends and family as possible, in July 2004 she passed away. She was 74 years old. She was greatly missed by all that knew her.

It would be good if I could say this is the end of my ALS story; however unfortunately it is not. In 2006 my brother started having health issues and his physicians could not diagnosis his symptoms. My son and I traveled down to his daughter’s high school graduation and, upon seeing him, we knew immediately he had ALS. It was another 4 months before he was formally diagnosed. We were fortunate to travel with our sons to NYC for a couple of Yankee’s games that summer and also have a great family get together on the Lake Erie Islands.

My father became rather gloomy after his wife of 50 years passed away. He would many times cry at his desk calling her name. When he learned his eldest son had ALS, this hurt him even more. We had a large birthday party for his 80th birthday and literally two weeks later, he passed away. It could be said he died of a broken heart in March 2008. Interestingly he passed away on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter.

My brother continued to do the best he could and was cared for at home by friends and family. Unfortunately Jon lost his battle with ALS in April 2009. Interestingly Jon also passed away on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter. This small coincidence gave the family hope that they were in a better place and in good hands.

Needless to say, losing our mother, father and brother took a toll on the remaining family members. My brother Tim took it the hardest and told me he would cry for 20 minutes at a time. Tim passed away just before Memorial Day 2010. As my father had, it can be said Tim died of a broken heart. Neither of my brothers reached the age of 50. As there are more centurions living today than ever before, their passing was at too young an age.

ALS was directly responsible for the loss of my mother and brother, however indirectly it was responsible for the death of my father and other brother. The ALS organization keeps track of the number of individuals who pass away from ALS however it’s not possible to track the number of individuals who indirectly pass away from ALS. How many spouses, family members or friends have passed away due to the loss of a loved one from ALS? ALS takes people directly and indirectly.

For this reason the Ice Bucket Challenge and the accompanying fundraising are more important toward saving lives than any of us can imagine. Let’s hope this fundraising will advance the research ten if not twenty years.

Fortunately the leading ALS specialist in the country (if not the world) is at the Cleveland Clinic. His name is Dr. Erik Pioro and he is known throughout the world as the leader in understanding and researching this little known disease. He has been a friend and comfort to all his patients and their families. He is a real asset to Northeast Ohio. This newly raised money will help his research and will also benefit our region.

Many years ago Lou Gehrig gave this disease a name, now thankfully in 2014, the Ice Bucket Challenge has given this disease greatly needed public attention. With the new funding and public recognition, maybe one day we’ll gain a better understanding of this disease, how to diagnosis it and how to treat it; and if at all possible how to cure it. Thanks to all who took part in the Ice Bucket Challenge, it will help more than we know.

This story was originally published September 29th, 2014, but the good people at "Cool Cleveland"  Please see their informative weekly news letter

 

The Best Man - Stories about Ted Luntz

In October 2012, Ted’s family asked me to do a eulogy for Theodore Michael Luntz.  Ted was a great and generous Clevelander.  For those who knew him and for those who weren’t fortunate enough to know him, below is my eulogy for this influential and important individual. 

If you read to the end, you’ll understand the title of this piece.

Ted and I visited often in his last few years and he told me many of these stories.  My thought is he wanted me to pass them along. 

Ted’s family was originally from the Canton area.  In Canton, Ted’s  father played football against Jim Thorpe.  When I asked  Ted how his father reacted, when Jim Thorpe had the ball, he said his father ran the other way.  Probably a wise decision. 

Ted graduated from University School with honors and went to Yale University.  At Yale he tried out for the baseball team and this is where he first met George HW Bush.  They wanted Ted  to play however he decided not to play as he didn’t like 90 mph fastballs passing by his head. 

A few years after graduation he was drafted and sent to Fort Bragg.  Ted was to be shipped to Korea and at a seminar for incoming troops he heard Major Levi  Jackson  give a speech.  Levi was an All American Football player from Yale. Ted spoke to him afterward said he attended Yale and enjoyed watching Levi play.  Levi asked Ted what he was doing and Ted said he was scheduled to go to Korea.  Levi said a Yaley should not go to Korea and took Ted to Germany with him.  Ted credited Levi with saving his life. 

It was in the army at Fort Bragg North Carolina, where my father met and became life long friends with Ted and his family.  Ted was in the 503^rd MP and if you don’t know anything about the Military Police, they are both feared and respected.  Ted played bridge with my father and Jim Klonoski.  They were the 3 musketeers and they have all now passed on.     

We all understand Ted was successful in business and  was the CEO of the Luntz Corporation.  The Luntz Corporation was founded in the Canton, Ohio area in 1898. He was also CEO of the related Marquette Steel in Cleveland.  A couple of quick stories help one to understand the quality work Ted and the Luntz Corporation performed.   

My uncle’s  father was the salvage manager for the Lake Erie / Wheeling railroad.  If there was a derailment they always called the Luntz Corporation.  The reason they used them was if the Luntz Corporation picked up a derailed car, the railroad knew they would have the check the next day.  When I told Ted this story, he laughed and agreed.  

A year or two ago, I spoke to a friend who owns a large manufacturing company and asked him if he knew Ted.  He said at the time everyone in the scrap business was price fixing and shorting companies.  He said Ted came in and was a class act.  He said Ted was a professional and honest and you could tell he enjoyed working with Ted .  He then asked “is Ted still in business?”

While Ted was CEO they salvaged 3 of the large great lakes ships, the Princeton, Harvard and something else.  One of the ships sank(the Harvard)  as they towed it to the scrap yard area and they had to raise it. 

My father helped in Ted’s decision to be on the board of Baldwin Wallace University.  Ted was on the board for 30 years and was a great assistance to them.  They honored Ted with a doctorial degree.  Ted also sat on the boards of University School, Cathedral Latin School, Cleveland College of Jewish Studies and Hawken School. Later my father re-introduced Ted to George Bush Sr.  and they became close friends.    George HW Bush wrote letters to Ted and credited Ted for the idea of being Ronald Reagan’s VP before running for President. 

Ted said he never had a speeding ticket as he thought it was a privilege to drive.  (one of his children later told me this may not have been the case)

Ted enjoyed playing piano every day and his mother was a concern pianist.  He was an avid art collector.  He donated art to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Kent State, University school and others  He enjoyed skiing and skied until he was 83.   In the summers he enjoyed sailing and in the 1960’s he was the top sailor for 5 years at the Mentor Harbor Yachting Club.  He enjoyed each and every season. 

In the last few years, Ted would ask, “having any fun”, or “making any money”.  Ted was an intense individual and you had to be on your toes when you spoke with him.  He also enjoyed challenging people to be better and to work harder.   Whether it was providing scholarships for students or just challenging someone to be better.   He enjoyed others doing their best.    

In the last year or two while visiting Ted at the nursing home and someone asked how I knew Ted.  I told them Ted had been my father’s best man, but then I realized this did not fully explain my sediments toward Ted, so I followed up, ‘Ted was my father’s best man and I understood why my father choose him, as he is quite simply the best man I’ve ever known’. 

Ted and my love and respect for each other was real and deep.  One fun story which needs to be shared is when late one evening around 11pm, Ted called.  he asked me what I was doing and my response was trying to sleep.  when I asked why he called, he asked if I could pick him up.  Naturally I agreed to do so and then I asked where was he and his response was a classic line...

"I don't know...".  needless to say it was a long night and I went to visit him the next day.  Ted had been placed in a nursing home and his surroundings were unfamiliar to him.  he did over time become comfortable there.  Sadly I have lost contact with Ted's family

The attached photograph was taken in April 2011.  Ted passed in October 2012