Vincent Strong breaks records at Walk to Defeat ALS

DOVER PLAINS — The ALS Association Greater New York Chapter has just congratulated local Dover Plains team, Vincent Strong, for its record-breaking success in its first year of walking, at the 2017 Hudson Valley Walk to Defeat ALS.

For Dover Plains resident Lori Vincent, the devastating trials of ALS have been an all-too-familiar subject for her family since her husband’s diagnosis last March. 

After a year of going from doctor to doctor for a diagnoses, Chris Vincent learned of his ALS from a doctor in New Britain, Conn.

“With an ALS diagnosis, there is no fix at this point,” she said, “so we were devastated.”

A strong-willed man in nature and physique, Chris retired on disability from electricians’ union IBEW Local 363 shortly after his diagnosis. 

The Vincents made home renovations to accommodate Chris’ needs, with the help of their friend, Structure Works owner Lee Wood, and his crew, including installing a ramp outside, redoing the bathroom to make it handicapped accessible and moving the bedroom downstairs.

Lori said she’s been touched by the people she and Chris have met and connected with in the last six months, including those at the ALS Association Greater New York Chapter and its senior walk program manager, Linda Berman.

“She’s just an amazing wife and mother,” Berman said about Lori.

Regarding this year’s Hudson Valley Walk to Defeat ALS, Lori  said she first learned about the event through her coworkers who had participated in a walk for pancreatic cancer and mentioned there was a walk for ALS scheduled for October. Around that same time, the Greater Chapter reached out with help for Chris and provided her with more information.

From that point on, Lori organized team Vincent Strong online. With the help of her sister, she began reaching out to people through the social network and was pleased to see multiple donations from team members and supporters. When accompanied by a team created by Chris’s coworkers from Local 363, Vincent Strong gained about 160 people walking for Chris Vincent. Between the two teams, an estimated $23,000 was raised for ALS research.

On Sunday, Oct. 15, the walk made its way over the Hudson. On what turned out to be a beautiful day, Lori was euphoric to see family members from Texas as well as friends, and her sister, who came up from Georgia. 

Bright yellow Vincent Strong T-shirts were worn. Throughout the day, Lori watched teams walk together and observed individuals with ALS whose conditions were more advanced than her husband’s.

“It’s tough to see, but it’s an eye-opener,” she said.

While participating in the walk, she also saw how her husband connected with those present, many who understood exactly what he was going through.

“It felt empowering,” she said. “I just felt like there was so much hope. You knew that everyone that was walking for that same cause, for a cure and for someone they loved. It was just a wonderful experience.”

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the walk’s starting line that included Chris Vincent, the walkers set off down the Highland side of the Hudson with determination in their step.

“I don’t think it gets enough exposure as it needs, so this ALS walk was huge,” Lori said “I never would’ve considered walking for ALS, but now I hope to expose it a little bit more. People need to know that this disease exists. I will always walk in the ALS walk.”

“It was a fabulous day in the Hudson Valley and we did better than ever,” Berman said. “We raised over $220,000 for our cause and it was a real spirited day for solidarity. It beat its goal in terms of fundraising and number of participants.”

For more information on the 2018 Hudson Valley Walk to Defeat ALS at Walkway Over the Hudson or to sign up for next year’s event, go to www.alsa.org.