Family means everything to Juan and Meg. When Juan served in the military, their family felt it was a gift to be able spend time together as they traveled the world, from living abroad in Greece and England. After Juan retired, they kept their adventurous spirit alive, exploring Mount Rushmore and Seattle. Today, they call San Antonio home.
Veterans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ALS than regular civilians, and Juan is one of those people. But the adaptive nature of the military lifestyle helped prepare his family for the demands of Juan’s ALS diagnosis. “We as a family are still dealing with ALS, but that doesn’t stop us from still living,” says Meg. They moved into a new home to enable Juan to move around safely, and up until the pandemic were still traveling as a family.
A longtime champion for the ALS community, Juan advocates for ALS patients’ rights in Washington D.C. and has worked closely with the ALS Association of Texas to raise funds and awareness. He has seen firsthand the impact the ALS Association of Texas has on the community.
“The Association has been an emotional lifeline. They make it possible for us to understand ALS, understand the challenges. Beyond the resources that the offer, such as wheelchairs, other medical equipment and supplies, they are a human connection that keeps you grounded,” says Juan.
Juan is a true connector and teacher who is generous with his time and story. Juan has even performed standup comedy (in his power wheelchair, of course), finding the humor in his ALS diagnosis.
“ALS for us is just taken in stride. Yeah, I have it, but it’s not going to stop us from greeting the next day and the next adventure.” This year, join Juan and Meg and support Texans with ALS by making a donation today.
Because of you, they have hope for a world without ALS.