

Splash. Brrrr. Pat Quinn co-founded the ALS ice bucket social media challenge in 2014. It quickly went “viral.” People dumped buckets of ice water on themselves. Why? To raise awareness and money to research the disease usually referred to as ALS. Sadly, Quinn died of that very disease last November. But he leaves a big legacy.
ALS stands for “amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.” The disease affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The nerve cells, called motor neurons, slowly die. Motor neurons control muscles that allow you to move parts of your body. People with ALS gradually lose the ability to use their muscles. Over time, they may become unable to speak, eat, move, and breathe. ALS is also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, after a beloved New York Yankees baseball player diagnosed with it in 1939.
Pat Quinn got his diagnosis with ALS in 2013, a month after his 30th birthday. He immediately wanted to help others with the disease.
In 2014, Quinn saw a video posted by professional golfer Chris Kennedy. Kennedy dared his wife’s cousin Jeanette Senerchia to pour a bucket of ice water over her head, post a video on social media, and ask others to do the same or to make a donation to charity. Senerchia’s husband had ALS.
Quinn and co-founder Pete Frates, along with supporters, helped popularize the challenge. The ALS Association says Quinn “knew it was the key to raising ALS awareness.”
When the two picked it up, the phenomenon exploded. Tens of thousands of people participated in the viral trend, including celebrities, sports stars, and politicians. When an image, video, or piece of information goes viral, it is shared rapidly and widely. Challenge videos were viewed millions of times. The ice bucket challenge raised more than $200 million worldwide for ALS research!
New internet challenges and trends pop up all the time. Some viral internet trends are positive and useful, like the ALS challenge. But some can be dangerous. It’s important not to just go along with the crowd. It’s wise to consider whether the trend is helpful or harmful before participating. Proverbs 27:12 says, “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.”
1st comment!!!
This is interesting........I don't think I would do that though (dump ice water on my head)
~ Nadia
Ah yes!
WorldTeen - reporting on stuff that went down 6 hekkin years ago. Always a sign of good and informative journalism - trying to apply a trend that happened in the previous decade to .... what again?
Icy Cold!
That looks like a great way to cool of in the hot summer!
Brr!
@ N&M & Audrey: I know!
Seems like someone could just donate, but I guessing dumping a bucket of water on your head is more fun. You could donate, and dump water on someone else's head! That way you could donate and not get wet!
@ J A: They're being positive (something they've been doing a lot recently), and maybe that research is coming out now.
Also J A
It's title "Viral Fundraising", which can apply now, because this is a way of fundraising but not necessarily getting together.
@Bethy
But you see. The problem is that you had to draw those conclusions yourself! You would think if there is a good, interesting, or modern application (which there probably is) they would mention that.
also
also im just bitter at WT since they deleted a comment i spent multiple decades typing out lol.
@ Above
On which article?
I remember this!!!
Haha! I was 9 when this was all going on. One of my older friends was doing this and told me about it and (like the article warned against) I did it just because a bunch of other people were! My brothers and I did it one hot summer day. It was actually really fun. ;)
Adding to above
I didn't post a video or anything. I just wanted to try it!
Heyyy! I remember that!
Yeah, I did that with some strangers one time. It was great. (She said sarcastically) Yeah, all those people that I didn't know watching me as I got a bucket of ice water dumped on my head by yet another stranger. Really fun.
I'm kidding, it was fine, but I didn't know that it actually had meaning behind it! I think one of the 'dangerous' challenges that they are talking about is eating Tide pods. That is just........ poison!! TEENAGERS!! EATING DETERGENT!! LIKE SLOBBERING BABIES?!?! I have never understood why you would ever eat soap.
@Above
I would not really want to do that unless I was really hot!!!!
:)
I can't wait for summer its cold were I live right now but when its summer its super hot. And I've sat IN a bucket of ice water before and dumped it on my head.
@Riley
Yeah, it gets REALLY hot here in the summer. Many days in July and August it gets over 100 degrees! (Fahrenheit, of course)
15th comment P.S. This is Caro
Has anyone heard of the Polar bear Plunge? It is a fundraiser thing.
Smart
That's a smart and creative way to get money for research and spread happiness throughout the world!
@Caro
My dad was going to do the Polar Bear Plunge last December, but I don't think he ended up doing it. (To my disappointment, considering he was going to do it in a Christmas blazer and on camera. XD)
this is Mylee
Addie haha my brother has a Christmas blazer! He likes to do dare devil challenges but none that will kill you. Like the eating tipods or chubby bunny ! I think this would be fun even though i hate being cold. At VBS every year we have a contest against the boys and girls to raise up the most money for a ministry . One year the theme was game on (sports theme) and the boys lost so the guy teacher got gatorade dumped on him !
@ Mylee
XD Ha-ha!