Co-founder of viral ALS Ice Bucket Challenge dies at 37

by: The Associated Press and Nexstar Media Wire

Posted: Nov 23, 2020 / 06:21 AM EST / Updated: Nov 23, 2020 / 06:21 AM EST

This 2019 photo provided by The ALS Association shows Pat Quinn. Quinn, a co-founder of the viral ice bucket challenge, died Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020, at the age of 37. (Scott Kauffman/The ALS Association via AP)

YONKERS, N.Y. (AP) — The ALS Association says a co-founder of the viral ice bucket challenge has died at the age of 37.

The organization announced that Pat Quinn died Sunday. He helped inspire participation in the social media challenge, which has raised more than $200 million worldwide for Lou Gehrig’s disease research.

Quinn was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2013.

The organization said that in 2014, he helped popularize the ice bucket challenge, where participants were dared to take a bucket of ice water, dump it over their head, post a video on social media and ask others to do the same or to make a donation.

Thousands participated and videos received millions of views.