World's First Viral Giving Campaign Gets a
"Remix" for Anniversary, Delivering Aid to Patients'
Families and Continuing Fight for a Cure
Michael Pitt,
Lifelong Friend of Peter Frates,
Seeks to Honor Frates' Legacy as Newly Appointed Executive
Director of Family Foundation
BOSTON, July 31,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten years ago, Pete Frates braced himself in the outfield of
iconic Fenway Park, preparing to be
doused with a bucket of ice water. It became perhaps the most
enduring image of what is now considered the biggest social media
fundraising phenomenon in history – raising a quarter of a billion
dollars worldwide for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) research,
prompting the creation of the now-ubiquitous "donate" button on
social platforms, and engaging everyone from President Obama to
Taylor Swift. Now, on the 10th
anniversary, the Peter Frates Family Foundation is ready to
reignite that energy and ice-out ALS for good.
On Thursday, Aug. 1, the outfield
of Fenway will be in the spotlight again as Pete Frates' family will be joined by former NFL
MVP Matt Ryan, members of the Red Sox, Patriots & Bruins, ALS
researchers and political dignitaries to pay homage to Frates and
the power of a simple act – followed by a coordinated live, Ice
Bucket Challenge before fans and cameras designed to spark a new
wave, and new generation, of social impact.
"My son was a born leader, but even he could not have imagined
the power we can unleash with such a simple act," said Nancy Frates, Pete
Frates' mother and founder of the Peter Frates Family
Foundation. "One bucket of ice led to millions of beautiful
tributes, and much more importantly, created a global platform for
what had been a largely unknown, underfunded disease."
The Ice Bucket Challenge and its unexpected virality ushered in
a new era of possibility for fundraising. Resulting advancements in
research, treatment and drug development has created an environment
in which ALS is now becoming a "livable disease," but one of the
unintended consequences has been the increased financial
responsibilities placed on patients and their families – as home
healthcare services for ALS are not covered by insurance.
With this harsh realities in mind, the Frates family, along with
NWN Carousel, a leading provider of AI-powered technology
solutions, decided to use the 10th anniversary of the Challenge as
a call-to-action for people around the world to again lift their
phones and take the Challenge. And with a whole new generation of
influential social media users driving global trends and
conversations on platforms like TikTok, the "2.0" Challenge has
even more potential to deliver real impact.
To help ensure that happens, the Peter Frates Family Foundation
has also appointed its first executive director, Michael S. Pitt.
Pitt, who was by Pete Frates'
side from the first day of their high school football practice
until he passed, brings to the Foundation deep expertise in
operational and organizational leadership. He previously worked in
sales, management and executive consulting capacities across the
healthcare industry, as well as serving as development and
performance mindset advisor to student-athletes at Northeastern University. He has also worked
alongside U.S. military special operators for the past 13 years,
providing team-building and leadership development for high school,
collegiate and professional athletic teams.
"I want to make sure that Pete
Frates is a household name, not just today, but 20, 30, 50
years from now," said Pitt. "The Ice Bucket Challenge that Pete
helped to initiate is cemented in pop culture history and was a
watershed moment for research, but there are still overwhelming
costs of home health care facing today's progressed ALS patients
and their families. That's our mission at the Peter Frates Family
Foundation, and our work is far from over."
In his role as executive director, Pitt will work hand-in-hand
with Pete Frates' family. He intends
to tackle the unresolved problems of home healthcare costs, as well
as challenges of fundraising and growth, with the same tenacious
spirit and unbreakable resolve that defined Pete and that binds his
family.
"Pete and I were both athletes, and that competitive fire is
what drives our work at the Foundation," Pitt said. "Growing up,
the Frates cared and looked after me like I was one of their own.
Now in this role, I feel that same familial connection and
responsibility to all the families facing the challenges of living
with ALS."
To learn more about the Ice Bucket Challenge, or to donate to
the Peter Frates Family Foundation, please click
here.
About the Peter Frates Family Foundation
The Peter Frates Foundation is a newly formed 501c3 non-profit
with the mission to assist progressed ALS patients and their
families with the overwhelming cost of home health care. As the
disease of ALS progresses through the patient's body, the
employment of specialized and skilled providers is imperative for
required level care assuring the stability of the patient as they
continue to live in their home surrounded by the love and comfort
of family and friends.
CONTACT
Dan Mazei
All Tangled Roots, for the Peter Frates Family
Foundation
dan@alltangledroots.com
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SOURCE Peter Frates Family Foundation