‘To Give Hope to Others’: Delmarva Man With ALS Plans 10-Mile Walk on November 22

Tim Hill’s walk from Dewey Beach to Bethany Beach on November 22 is a 10-mile journey, and it will show how far he has already come. Hill has ALS – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, and affects the body’s ability to control muscles. For many with ALS, a short walk is impossible.

“That’s why I am doing this walk – to offer hope,” Hill said. “When you’re told that there is no hope, you don’t try. I want to show people that trying matters.”

Hill first noticed the onset of symptoms – unsteadiness, shaking, severe leg pain – about three years ago. He received his diagnosis in the spring of 2014 at a major Baltimore-area hospital, and was taken aback by what the doctor told him. “He said, ‘Get your affairs in order,’ and that was it. I asked about physical therapy, things I could do to help, and he told me that even if it did help a little, my insurance probably wouldn’t cover it.”

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