The ALS United Rocky Mountain office received a phone call not long after the 2024 NFL draft.
They had a friend in Bo Nix.
The rookie quarterback had just been drafted by the Broncos. The ALS nonprofit's Oregon Chapter connected him with the cause in his soon-to-be home.
It culminated last week with Nix promoting 'Bolieve' shirts for purchase on social media with all net proceeds benefiting ALS United Rocky Mountain's mission.
"To unite and empower the ALS community through a collaborative approach of providing comprehensive care and support to individuals and families affected by ALS, advancing national and state advocacy, and fostering bold research initiatives," according to their website.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. More than 5,000 people are diagnosed a year with an average life expectancy between two and five years. Suzanne Schrag is CEO of ALS United Rocky Mountain -- serving Colorado, Utah and Wyoming -- and has been with the organization since 2006.
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"We have a number of programs and they're all free of charge," Schrag told The Denver Gazette in a recent phone interview. "We help people living with ALS. We help their families, and we help the community who have been affected by ALS. ... We focus on our care consultations. That really is a one-to-one. They have a care coordinator who does emails, phone calls and video calls, and sees them at one of our five clinics. We have an equipment loan program, support groups and educational events."
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Nix has supported ALS charities since his college playing days at Auburn. In 2023, as a senior at Oregon, he pledged to donate $100 for every passing touchdown scored that season. Nix has continued his legacy of ALS giving in the NFL.
"It's a great way for us to give back to the community," Nix said last week after practice at Broncos Park. "It's something that's being talked about, so you might as well use (the platform). I think the cause is what's more important. A few of my friends have been directly affected by ALS. I've seen it ... the tragedy and the tough part about the disease. Any awareness I can bring to it, I think it's just helpful to all those going through it."
"I feel like it's how I can use my platform for a good cause right now."
There has never been a more high-profile partnership with ALS United Rocky Mountain since it was founded in 1996.
"This is close to his heart," Schrag said. "The awareness that it will bring is incredible. Honestly, that's what I'm most excited about. Our community wants to be heard."
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