ALS Walk In Honor Of Greenwich Police Sgt. Roger Petrone Jr.

On Sunday, July 24th, a 5K walk/run will be held in honor of Greenwich Police Sgt. Roger Petrone Jr. to raise money to fight ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ( ALS ) is an illness that causes motor neurons in the brain and spinal chord to die off. It is a tragic illness that renders its victims without use of things we all take for granted - namely, use of arms, legs, hands, fingers, etc.

The walk/run will start at 1:30 at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park on Arch Street in Greenwich. A picnic will be held at the finish line. The pre-pay cost is $25, which includes a T-shirt and lunch. Day of walk/run cost is $30. Please come and participate in a worthy cause, for both Roger and the fight against ALS.

I have attached the registration form and below is a very moving letter from Roger. After you read this letter you will see why we need to make this a well attended event and finacial success.

God bless Roger, and God bless you for your caring and concern.

"My name is Roger Petrone.

"I was always active, not being able to sit still for too long, and constantly on the move. As a kid, I could often be found riding my bicycle, swimming, and sneaking onto Woodway Golf Course to fish in my favorite ponds. In high school, I played football all four years, and was co-captain of the wrestling team. The enjoyment I had working with my hands led me through years of being involved in the Boy Scouts, as a firefighter with the local volunteer department, and as a part time employee with the ambulance service. Being somewhat of an adrenaline junkie, I had a fondness for motorcycles, and rode at every opportunity. As if the combination of two wheels, speed, and windy roads wasn’t enough, I still wanted to experience something higher, faster, and more three dimensional. I went on to earn my pilot license, quickly followed by a seaplane rating, and thoroughly enjoyed flying myself to my aunt’s house on Moosehead Lake, Maine.

"My seventeen year employment with the Greenwich Police Department has been enjoyable, adventurous, and filled with a great deal of personal satisfaction.  Continuing to be my physically outgoing self, I joined the department SCUBA and SWAT teams, and spent the boating seasons patrolling our local waters with the Marine Division. Shortly thereafter, I was promoted to Sergeant. I was at a point in my life where everything was coming together. I had a satisfying career, a beautiful daughter, Sydney, and I was in the best physical shape of my life. It was during the spring of 2007 when I first noticed something was not right.

"During our SWAT team physical fitness test, I had difficulty in passing some of the exercises that used to be so easy for me. During the evening, I began thinking to myself that my speech was slurred as I became fatigued. This was confirmed when my Boss once asked me if i had surgery in my mouth, because it appeared as if my lips were not properly forming the words that I spoke. I finally decided to see my physician, who referred me to a neurologist. After numerous testing procedures that required multiple office visits, the neurologist was either unable or afraid to diagnose the problem, and referred me to a specialist in New York City. 

"One night a relative googled my symptoms and called me up in tears asking if I could have this thing called ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. I had heard of Lou Gehrig’s disease, but did not know what it was. I looked it up on the computer and after seeing how rare and devastating it was, I thought there was no possible way I could have that. I was only 37 years old, and exercised regularly to prevent health problems.  I read, and reread the facts about the disease:

"It is rare, affecting only 2 out of every 100,000 people, typically between the age of 40 and 70. The motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord die off, causing all of the voluntary muscles to waste away. This leads to complete paralysis, while the mind remains razor sharp, and all of the senses are unaffected. Most patients succumb between two and five years after symptom onset due  to respiratory failure. It devastates families because later stages of the disease require round the clock care for the patient, often resulting in someone quitting their career to provide this. The cause is not known, and there is no cure or effective treatments.

"After a week passed, I went to my follow up appointment. The Doctor asked me to perform a number of simple tests such as repeating phrases, moving my fingers and hands, and checking my reflexes. After a few minutes of making small talk, he delivered the worst news of my life. You have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS. Second and third opinions all led down the same gloomy path. The next few months were extremely difficult for me mentally. I was unable to walk by a photo of my daughter without breaking down. I was afraid, not of the end result the disease brings, but of the process in which it would occur. I wondered how this would affect my career, and if I should tell anyone.  To this day, I don’t know how I was able to put on my uniform and serve the town of Greenwich while harboring my diagnosis.

"As the weeks turned in to months and the months into years, I was able to mentally grasp my prognosis. Today, four years later, I am unable to walk, speak, or raise my arms above my waist. My loss of balance has caused many a fall, resulting in broken bones, concussions, stitches, bumps and bruises. Even worse than my physical injuries is my having to rely on people for even the most simple things…bathing, dressing, preparing meals, transportation, and the list goes on. I have had to give up most of the activities that brought me pleasure, and have been reduced to a mere spectator in life. I would give anything to once again have the ability to play tag with Sydney, teach her to hit a softball, and carry her on my shoulders. Of all the terminal illnesses that are out there, I would have chosen any other one than this. I would prefer one that would give me a quicker and easier way out. 

"Even though a cure may not come in my lifetime, I am hopeful that one day it will happen so that other people will not have to go down this same road. The caring and thoughtful gesture displayed by my coworkers, and all of your participation in the putting on of this event, will make the day of a cure happen a little faster, and for that I extend my heartfelt appreciation."