CLAREMORE, Okla. –Alexander Coriell has been battling Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) for the last 21 months. The Rogers State women's soccer team has joined him in his fight and will be honoring him and his family Saturday, October 25 at halftime of its game against Dallas Baptist.
 
 
ALS awareness started long before the "ALS Ice Bucket Challenge" for RSU Head Women's Soccer Coach Heather Cato. The Hillcats head coach watched her brother, Jim Trickey II, battle the disease for just under five years before losing his fight in April 2007. Cato met Alexander and his wife Marissa through a chance encounter at the Tulsa airport in July on her way to a recruiting trip.
 
 
"I approached Alex and Marissa at the airport because once you have seen and heard an ALS patient, you just know it when you see it," Cato said. "They were so young and kind and they have a young family. It just reminded me of my brother and I wanted to do whatever I could to help. I brought the idea to the girls and they were more than willing to do anything they could to help."
 
 
Coriell and his family reside in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is a husband, father to three little boys, minister, graphic designer, and a man of strong faith in God. At 29 years old, Coriell began losing his speech and was diagnosed with ALS. Six months later, the fatal disease took away his ability to eat by mouth, and nine months after that his ability to walk on his own and use his hands.
 
 
"Since there is no cure at this time, the one thing we can do to aid the family is give monetary support so Alex can have the resources needed to spend as much time as possible with his family."
 
 
The RSU women's soccer team will be selling t-shirts at the game on Saturday for $15 with proceeds benefiting the Coriell family and Alex's fight with ALS. The team will also be accepting donations on behalf of the family with various events throughout both the women's and men's games Saturday. The women's game is set to kickoff at 5 p.m. while the men's game will follow at 7:30 p.m.
 
 
To find out more information about the Coriell family and their journey with ALS or to donate to the family, visit their website at www.seealexhealed.com.