100 take icy plunge for Pete, ALS research
A crowd of area residents took a bone-chilling plunge into the Atlantic at Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester yesterday to raise money for ALS research in honor of former Boston College baseball player Pete Frates, who inspired the Ice Bucket Challenge.
The sixth annual Plunge for Pete was the coldest one yet, shivering participants said, and raised at least $60,000.
Frates’ father, John, and brother Andrew were among those who bravely raced through snow flurries into the ocean, despite below-freezing conditions.
“It’s never been this cold,” said Harold “Sully” Sullivan, a friend of the Frates family.
“It’s been windy but it has never been under 20 degrees. We love the Frates family. I know Pete has a heavier day than we do. It makes it easy.”
The event was aimed at raising money to research amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a nervous system disease that weakens muscles and impacts physical activity.
Pete Frates of Beverly is a world-recognized advocate who inspired the Ice Bucket Challenge, which has raised more than $220 million since 2014.
Frates family members said they were overwhelmed to see more than 100 people show up despite the brutal conditions.
“I thought I was going to walk in to 10 people,” Pete’s wife, Julie Frates said.
“It’s remarkable to see a lot of people here to support Pete.”
Andrew Frates called the size of the crowd “amazing.”
“If we could do it this year, we could do it every year after,” he said.
“This year was by far the worst. I think I may have gotten frostbite in my fingers. I know if (Pete) were healthy — he’d love to jump in the freezing cold water for a good cause.”
Linda and Mark Harrison of Salem spent their fourth wedding anniversary jumping into the frigid water for Pete.
Four years ago, the couple were waiting to be married when they saw the so-called FrateTrain family taking the plunge.
“We told them we’d join them next year,” Linda Harrison said.
“We have ever since.”