Local ALS Patient Overwhelmed With Support From Ice Bucket Challenge

The Ice Bucket Challenge sweeping the nation is a fundraising effort to raise money for ALS, and News 9 uncovered a personal story in the metro.

While the Ice Bucket Challenge videos are fun, ALS is an incurable, ugly disease as one retired Mustang school secretary knows all too well.

“We hope that number one, we can make her smile as much as she has made us smile,” Mustang Deputy Superintendent, Charles Bradley said.

Six district administrators, including the superintendent, accepted the Ice Bucket Challenge to strike out ALS in honor of Nancy Moreland on Wednesday.

“There are only a few people that I would be willing to go on camera and be dumped with a bucket of ice water for, and Nancy Moreland is at the top of that list,” Bradley explained.

Moreland worked for Mustang Public Schools for more than 20 years as a site secretary, and she retired when she was diagnosed with ALS a few years ago.

“She is a pillar to the community,” Bradley told News 9. “She was that warm smile, that embrace, that hug for the kids for so many years,” he added.

ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a terminal illness that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

Patients lose muscle control and may become totally paralyzed before passing away.

Moreland's brother died two years ago from ALS, and she can no longer speak because the disease developed in her throat.

“Watching her is the most indescribable thing, and this is a horrible, horrible disease and we all know what's going to happen,” Jill Thomson, one of Moreland's friends, said.

Moreland's school family wanted to show their appreciation for her by taking the challenge and invited her to help dump the buckets outside the administration building.

“It is marvelous,” Moreland struggled to tell News 9 after the Ice Bucket Challenge. “I've been overwhelmed with support,” she tearfully added.