Ninth-grade students from the Massapequa High School Ames Campus made an encouraging donation and celebrated those with the degenerative disease ALS.
Students lined the sidewalk along the front driveway on Monday, May 13, as the ALS Ride for Life visited the school. The district said the event, which occurs annually in May, has been held at the school for the past 15 years.
The song “We Are the Champions” played as a man named Jordan Tarozzi, who suffers from ALS, rode in his electric wheelchair. Students held up signs of encouragement as they welcomed the Ride For Life champion.
Principal Tania Willmansaid the event originally came to the district when a student approached a staff member about supporting the cause. She said Ride For Life unites the Ames community around a meaningful cause.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or shortened to ALS, is a progressive neurogenerative disease that causes muscle weakness and paralysis.
ALS Ride For Life was founded in 1997 by Christopher Pendergast, who died from the disease roughly 4 1/2 years ago.. His wife, Christine Pendergast, said it is important to raise awareness about the disease and educate others.
“We were both educators and we knew that students were the future, so we have been speaking to hundreds of thousands of students over the years across Long Island,” she said.
Christine Pendergast had visited the school before the Ride For Life for a presentation to students about ALS and the challenges it presents to patients, according to the district.
Willman said that having the organization visit Ames each year shows students that they should never give up.
“We are going to remain optimistic and we are never going to lose hope—those are really important pillars,” Willman said. “We have so much appreciation and gratitude to riders past and present for instilling that message in us.”
The district said Jordan was grateful for the support he received from students.
The district said that each year Ride For Life determines who participates and who is honored. The Ames student government donated $200 from its funds for this year’s event, which the district said comes from various fundraisers held throughout the year.
The students also held banners with the faces of past Ride For Life participants who have died.
