Stories of Courage: Bob Dennis

Marathoner Won't Let ALS Stop Him

February 2, 2004

Bob Dennis, of Valley Center, didn't take extra vitamins, practice running, stretching or other such common steps of preparation for competition in the San Diego Marathon that was held January 18. He wasn't even running in the 26-mile race. Yet, it was the race of his life.

You see, Dennis has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the disease that took Lou Gehrig's life and then his name. By competing in the marathon, Dennis was helping to raise money to provide hope to thousands of Americans living with ALS.

Joining more than 8500 athletes at the starting line, Dennis made his way through the 26 mile course with the help and encouragement of family, friends and even total strangers who were caught up in the excitement. This event, called "On A Roll for A Cure", was created by The ALS Association's Greater San Diego chapter as a fundraiser for its patients, programs and to continue the mission of The ALS Association to improve living with ALS.

Teams of people signed up to raise funds by pushing Bob in his wheelchair for one mile of the race. Some of them weren't even acquainted with Bob before the marathon. Dennis' nurses took a mile at the halfway point to check on his health, his friends took the second to last mile, and his family the last. The entire staff of the marathon gathered at the finish line as Dennis crossed it, and gave him a special presentation. It didn't matter to anyone that the 49-year-old Californian finished the race 1589 out of a field of 1658 contestants. Dennis triumphed with his courage and determination to participate in the grueling race.

The ALS Association is one of the official charities of the San Diego marathon. Participants are asked to collect pledges and money for these official charities from sponsors, and the charities participate in a Health Expo three days before the marathon to raise additional funds. This year, "On A Roll for A Cure" raised more than $18,000 from donations and matching gifts.

"We are really thrilled that the San Diego Marathon staff asked us to come back and do this again this year," said ALSA's San Diego Chapter President, Lori Butler. "It's a wonderful opportunity for Bob to show that just because a diagnosis of ALS means you are dying, it doesn't mean you still can't live."

Just a few years ago, Dennis was a gifted musician with beautiful vocal talent. Today, because of the disease, he can't walk or even speak in a recognizable fashion. With each passing day his muscles shut down a little more. "My voice is pretty bad now, but people can still understand me better than Ozzie Osbourne," he jokes in a barely understandable voice about one of the singers his "tribute rock" band used to emulate.

ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that attacks the body's motor neurons. There is no known cause or cure for it. The disease, named after baseball great Lou Gehrig, paralyzes the body. Most people diagnosed have a life expectancy of two to five years. Remarkably, Dennis is not bitter.

"I'm amazed by what this man does," remarked Butler. "Bob had one of the hardest times accepting his diagnosis of anyone I had met. Yet, today he is the most cheerful, positive person in my life. He comes to all our meetings and events, reaching out to others with his unique sense of humor and always awesome smile. He is an inspiration and true friend to many people with ALS. He even still flirts with pretty ladies despite his handicap, and I can see why they all love him. His personality really shines past his disease, and his brilliant mind is completely unaffected."

Dennis had many generous and staunch supporters. Keith Nordling, owner of Jimmy O's Sports Bar & Restaurant in Del Mar, CA, held a free kick off lunch and information meeting for the "On A Roll for a Cure" campaign/event again for this year's event.

"Anything I can to do help this cause pays honor to the memory of one of the world's greatest sports figures who died a very tragic death," Maus remarked. "My goal in helping was to see that those in the San Diego area can live a better life with the disease than Gehrig did, while we search desperately every day for a cure."