My father, John A. Dotter, a Navy veteran, was diagnosed with ALS in March 1975. He died 7 months later in October 1975. My mother was a widow at 48 and never remarried. My sister and I were 17 and 20. Because of ALS, our mother died 30 years later heartbroken still questioning "why him", my sister and I have lived our lives longer without him (than with him) unable to share our life's joys and sorrows, and our children will never know the wonderful man behind the high school yearbook photo who wrote "He Who Laughs Lasts."