Bob Jones has been diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).
A Courageous Step
I was in the middle of a 2-mile run on our treadmill when I heard the news on Sportsnet. It’s a bit unnerving when you hear your name on TV. Bob Jones is an assistant coach with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, can often be a debilitating, progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control.
“Bob and his family’s wishes are to take the courageous step of making his condition public in an effort to drive ALS awareness as he fights this disease,” Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said in a statement. “We have been working internally with Bob and his family as he takes on this challenge. While Bob will continue with his coaching duties, he has the full support of the organization to take any time he needs away from the club during the season to concentrate on his health and his family.”
Jones is 53. There is no cure for ALS.
Switch Bob
It’s hard not to think that it could be this Bob Jones receiving that diagnosis.
We travelled similar paths.
Jones lives in Tecumseh, just outside Windsor, Ontario. We lived in Essex, just outside Windsor.
He and his wife Paige have two children. We have two children.
Bob was born in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. I lived in Sault Ste Marie from 1974-76.
Over the last three years I’ve had significant health setbacks but nothing remotely close to the severity of ALS. Bob would trade whatever I am facing for what he is facing. I know too much about ALS because too many people in my life were devastated by ALS. John Orfino was one of them. Too many tears. Too much agony. A crushing weight on loved ones.
It seems that its always the good ones that face the toughest breaks. Sens player, Austin Watson says, “Jonesy is always there for the players, no questions asked. He’s the guy that I go to when my game’s not going good.”
Steve Jones
This week another unrelated Jones is going through a serious health challenge. Steve Jones and his wife Susan toured Israel with us in 2019. At one time, Susan assisted us with financial planning. We gained lifetime memories in Old Jerusalem and at Petra. Steve was just diagnosed with a massive tumor on his brain. To be precise the tumor is on his temporal and Parietal lobe. He undergoes surgery on February 1st and then chemo and radiation.
Life doesn’t get any easier as we age.
Pray for Bob and Steve.
They could use God’s mercy.
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