ALS patient who inspired Ice Bucket Challenge dies at 46

After a valiant fight with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Anthony Senerchia Jr. has succumbed to the disease.

The 46-year-old Pelham, N.Y., native, who served as the inspiration behind the viral Ice Bucket Challenge, died on Nov. 25 according to Time. He had been battling ALS for 14 years. Senerchia was diagnosed in 2003.

In his obituary, Senerchia Jr. was remembered as “a fireball” who wasn’t afraid to try new things.

“He worked tirelessly to raise awareness for ALS and was directly responsible for the world-renowned Ice bucket challenge,” the obituary read.

His wife told the Journal News Media Group her husband fought hard.

“It’s a difficult disease and tough when you’re losing,” Jeanette Senerchia said. “Your body is failing you. But he was a fighter . ... He was our light. He made our life better.”

Senerchia Jr. played a major role in popularizing the Ice Bucket Challenge, which raised about $115 million over the course of two months in 2014.

His wife’s cousin, golfer Chris Kennedy, was among the first to accept and participate in the challenge. At the time, it was not specifically connected to an ALS charity.

When he passed the challenge on to others, he chose the ALS Association as a beneficiary because of his connection to Senerchia Jr.

The challenge quickly took off.

“What started out as a small gesture to put a smile on Anthony’s face and bring some awareness to this terrible disease has turned into a national phenomenon,” Kennedy told Time in 2014.