Eric’s Fight Against ALS
Meet Eric Stevens
Eric Stevens is courageously battling ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) with everything he has. Each day brings new physical challenges. Simple tasks — getting out of bed, transferring from chair to chair, or taking a few steps — have become incredibly difficult. Eric now requires assistance with every movement and is 100% dependent on his wife, Amanda, for daily care.
Despite the progression of ALS, Eric continues to find strength and purpose in his greatest joy: his 5-year-old daughter, Peyton, and his almost 2-year-old son, Dean.
While ALS has taken away his ability to lift them, run alongside them, or hold them when they are upset, it has not touched the bond they share. Peyton and Dean love climbing onto “Dada’s” lap to watch a show, giving him bedtime kisses, and waking him up with early morning snuggles. Eric may not be the active father he once imagined, but in the face of ALS, he is demonstrating what it truly means to be a devoted and loving dad.
Since Eric’s diagnosis, our family has committed itself to transforming a broken system that limits patient access to promising therapies.
One of Eric’s proudest achievements was advocating for the ACT for ALS, which was signed into law on December 23, 2021. This landmark legislation created a national Expanded Access grant program to fund research and provide investigational ALS treatments to patients who are ineligible for clinical trials. It was a major victory for the ALS community — but our work is far from finished.
Through the axeALS Foundation, we have continued to turn advocacy into action. The Foundation proudly funded the Expanded Access Program (EAP) at UCI for three years, helping provide ALS patients access to investigational therapies when clinical trial participation was not an option.
Most recently, axeALS gifted $100,000 to launch the Champions Insight Program — a critical research initiative focused on military members, athletes, and first responders. This program seeks to answer a pressing question: why are these populations more susceptible to ALS? By investing in targeted research, we are working to uncover answers that could lead to prevention strategies, earlier detection, and ultimately, a cure.
Every donation to the axeALS Foundation directly supports our mission to get ALS drugs into patients’ bodies faster. Together, we are fighting for access, accelerating awareness, and driving meaningful change.
Eric’s mission also includes supporting firefighters and first responders affected by ALS — a cause deeply personal to him.
Thank you for standing with us as we continue to raise awareness, advance solutions, and help #axeALS.
Eric’s Latest ALS Update
Before ALS, Eric was a standout college and NFL fullback, named Weightlifter of the Year at Cal Berkeley. He went on to serve as a Los Angeles City firefighter, risking his life daily to protect and serve others. Today, at just 35 years old, ALS has taken nearly all of his physical independence — but it has not taken his spirit.
Eric is now 100% dependent on his wife, Amanda, or a caregiver for every aspect of daily living. He requires assistance with getting in and out of bed, dressing, showering, transferring, and all personal care. He spends his days in his recliner or electric wheelchair and can no longer perform any tasks independently.
He is no longer able to eat or drink by mouth and relies fully on a feeding tube for nutrition. At night, he continues to use a BiPap machine to support his breathing while he sleeps.
Although his speech has slowed, Eric still speaks clearly. His voice remains one of his greatest gifts. He reads to Peyton and Dean, sings to them, and teaches them about animals, sports, and the world he loves. While ALS has changed nearly every aspect of his physical life, it has not changed the kind of father he is.
Six years into this fight, Eric continues to show extraordinary courage, resilience, and love — especially for his family.
A Personal ALS Message from Eric Stevens
“This system is not working for patients living with ALS today. My hope is to make ALS a more well-known disease, raise funds for promising treatments and clinical trials, and motivate people in power to make changes that allow terminally ill patients to fight for their lives.”
“ALS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE DISEASE, costing patients an estimated $300,000 a year. The majority of patients bankrupt their families with the costs, and an even larger number simply can’t afford the cost to STAY ALIVE, so they don’t. Can you imagine – having to stop BEING ALIVE because it’s too expensive?”
With the rising cost of healthcare, many families are struggling to pay for ALS treatments. If you would like to make a contribution to axeALS Foundation, click on the link below to access our PayPal.