Ice Bucket Challenge Activist Patrick Quinn Suffering From ALS Neurological Disease Passes Away Aged 37

Patrick Quinn was co-founder of the Ice Bucket Challenge campaign that raised more than $220 million for medical research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Image: Quinn for the Win/Facebook

Patrick Quinn, an American Man who helped drive the global phenomenon of Ice Bucket Challenge fundraising campaign to tackle a deadly neurodegenerative disease, died on Sunday at age 37, seven years after his diagnosis. "It is with great sadness that we must share the passing of Patrick early this morning. We will always remember him for his inspiration and courage in his tireless fight against ALS," his supporters said Quinn's ALS advocacy Facebook group, 'Quinn for the Win.'

Born and brought up in Yonkers (New York), Quinn was co-founder of the campaign that raised more than $220 million for medical research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was diagnosed with the incurable neurological disease in 2013. He, with the help of his family and friends started the Ice Bucket Challenge and drove it to become a global social media phenomenon in the summer of 2014. To complete the challenge, people dump a bucket of ice water over their heads, make a video of the same, post on social media and challenge others to do the same or make a donation. The challenge soon grabbed eyeball across the globe as millions of people started to post videos and photos of themselves dumping buckets of ice water on their heads and challenging others to do the same while urging donations for ALS research. Several high-profile personalities including Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, Bill Gates and even former US president George W Bush took part in the challenge. The incurable neurological disease officially known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease after a baseball player who died of it in 1941. According to the reports, the nervous systems of the sufferers degenerate and their bodies slowly shut down in this disease.