When two pitchers for the San Jose Giants visited the school assembly at Forest Hill Elementary on Thursday, they were mobbed by kids seeking autographs. Don Altier wrote, over and over again for his fans. The kids recognized a real hero when they saw one. The disease is characterized by a slow, steady degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that leads to paralysis. Early symptoms are marked by muscle weakness or stiffness.
Inevitable progression leads to wasting and eventual paralysis of the arms and legs.
Next comes a loss of functions such as speech, swallowing and breathing. Meanwhile, the brain functions normally, held prisoner in a failing body. No one knows what causes ALS, which is not contagious. There is no known cure. Life expectancy is two to five years.