ALS Case Study

Paul Kevin Turner, K.T., was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 41 and passed away when he was 46. He was a well known and loved professional football player who enjoyed spending time with his family. He experienced the typical symptoms of ALS such as loss of arm and leg function, poor postural stability, the ability to walk, and respiratory function. One of the main takeaways I got from his story was the connection between his ALS diagnosis and the amount of brain injuries he sustained during his football career. As ALS is a neurological condition, it makes sense to me that multiple brain traumas might put a person at a higher risk, but I was not aware of the correlation between being diagnosed with ALS and playing professional contact sports. During his football career he could remember 20-25 seperate times in which he heard ringing in his ears or saw spots after getting hit, but he continued to play. Though his being diagnosed with ALS is tragic, great things came from it in that he has greatly help spread awareness of and raise funds for ALS even after he passed away.