Reds host Lou Gehrig Day at Great American Ball Park for ALS awareness
Updated: 9:47 PM EDT Jun 2, 2025
KNOW IT IS LOU GEHRIG’S DAY TODAY AT GREAT AMERICAN BALLPARK. THE NIGHT RAISES MONEY FOR ALS RESEARCH AND CELEBRATES PEOPLE LIVING WITH THE DEBILITATING AND DEADLY DISEASE. HOP FROM THE ZAC BROWN BAND IS GOING TO BE SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. HE’S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE PUTTING ON A CONCERT FOR ALLISON ALS PATIENTS RIGHT ABOUT NOW. HE HAS ALS, OF COURSE, AND SO DOES SAM TELKAMP. SHE WAS DIAGNOSED IN 2022 AT THE YOUNG AGE, VERY RARE, AGE OF ONLY 25 YEARS OLD. SHE’S HERE WITH HER MOM, CARROLL AND DAD DAN. SHE’S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE THROWING OUT THE FIRST PITCH AT TONIGHT’S GAME A LITTLE LATER ON TONIGHT. GUYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. AND RIGHT AS WE’RE ABOUT TO COME UP, I SAID, IT TAKES SO MUCH COURAGE BECAUSE SAM’S VOICE AS YOU’RE GOING TO HEAR IS STARTING TO FAIL HERE. SAM, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO AGO, YOU’VE BEEN SO OUTSPOKEN ABOUT YOUR ILLNESS. YOUR MUSCLES ARE STARTING TO FAIL YOU. AS I WAS TELLING OUR AUDIENCE THAT YOUR VOICE IS NOW FAILING AS WELL. SO SHE’S GOING TO BE SPEAKING THROUGH HER COMPUTER. YOU KEEP FIGHTING, THOUGH. I WANT YOU TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT. WHAT? WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING EVERY DAY? GREAT QUESTION. YOU KNOW, I THINK FROM THE BEGINNING, I WAS I WAS PRESENTED WITH A CHOICE. I COULD LET IT TAKE THE TIME I HAVE LEFT AND LET MYSELF BECOME VICTIM TO IT. OR I CAN MAKE THE MOST OF MY TIME LEFT AND NOT LET ALS DEFINE ME. I CHOSE THIS SECOND OPTION AND I WILL SAY IT IS NOT THE EASIEST ROUTE. I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO WORK AT IT. THE THING THAT MAKES IT EASIER IS MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, MEDICAL TEAM, AND COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT. CARROLL ME GOING. I. CARROLL I WANT TO BRING YOU IN HERE AS A MOM TO WATCH YOUR DAUGHTER STRUGGLE TO DO THE BASIC THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED. WHAT HAS THIS BEEN LIKE? IT’S IT’S HAD ITS UPS AND DOWNS FOR SURE. WE’VE I THINK IT’S BROUGHT US A LOT CLOSER. UNFORTUNATELY. YOU KNOW, A HORRIBLE DISEASE LIKE THAT TO BRING TO BRING THAT. BUT IT’S CHALLENGING. DAN, TONIGHT YOUR DAUGHTER GETS TO THROW OUT THE FIRST PITCH. AND AS I WAS SAYING WHEN WE WERE WALKING IN HERE, YES, THAT’S NORMALLY A REALLY FUN THING. BUT THIS IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A HORRIFIC BATTLE. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU THAT SHE WAS CHOSEN OUT OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE HERE LOCALLY THAT ARE BATTLING THIS AWFUL DISEASE THAT SHE’S, YOU KNOW, GOING TO BE A SYMBOL FOR WHAT THIS DISEASE IS AND DOES. SAM IS SAM IS JUST AN AMAZING PERSON, EVEN WITH THE ALS. SHE HAS FOUGHT AND FOUGHT AND FOR ALS UNITED TO PICK HER, TO THROW OUT THE FIRST PITCH. AND KNOWING THAT SHE’S FALLEN, SOME PEOPLE FROM LAST YEAR, WE KNOW VERY PERSONALLY. OF COURSE, AND IT’S IT’S IT’S NICE. YOU KNOW, JOHN AND JIMMY B BOTH DID GREAT. AND WE’RE HOPING TO KEEP THE KEEP IT GOING. BUT IT’S A GREAT FOR HER. SHE’S WORKED HARD WITH A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY WITH UC AND THE THE THERAPISTS DOWN THERE AND WITH HER STORY AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. SO SHE’S CONTINUED TO WORK HARD. SAM, FOR THE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE WATCHING THIS OR WHO WILL SEE IT LATER ONLINE, WHO HAVE A LOVED ONE BATTLING, WHAT DO YOU WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM? I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT ALS CAN IMPACT ANYONE, AND THERE’S NO TREATMENT OR CURE. IT HAS A PROGNOSIS OF 3 TO 5 YEARS. WE NEED YOUR HELP. IT IS NOT INCURABLE. IT IS UNDERFUNDED, NOT ONLY UNDERFUNDED, SADLY, BUT THERE ARE MEDICATIONS OUT THERE. I’VE DONE SO MANY STORIES WITH PEOPLE JUST LIKE SAM, WHO THERE ARE MEDICATIONS OUT THERE, TRIAL DRUGS THAT I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE ALL FIGHTING FOR, TO GIVE YOU ONE MORE DAY, ONE MORE WEEK WITH YOUR FAMILY. SAM CARROLL DAN, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW IT’S A SPECIAL NIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY, AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME TO BE WITH US AGAIN. SAM’S GOING TO BE THROWING OUT THE FIRST PITCH AT TONIGHT’S REDS GAME AGAINST THE BREWERS
Reds host Lou Gehrig Day at Great American Ball Park for ALS awareness
Updated: 9:47 PM EDT Jun 2, 2025
Monday is Lou Gehrig Day at Great American Ball Park as the Cincinnati Reds host the Milwaukee Brewers.The night raises money for ALS research and celebrates people who are living with the debilitating and deadly disease.Lou Gehrig Day is held annually around Major League Baseball to honor the legacy of New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig, who died of complications from ALS.Hop, a member of the Zac Brown Band who has ALS, will sing the national anthem. The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown out by Sam Telgkamp, who was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 25.On Monday, WLWT was joined by Telgkamp, her mother Carol and her father, Dan, who talked about Sam’s fight against the disease.See the full interview in the video player at the top of the story.
CINCINNATI —
Monday is Lou Gehrig Day at Great American Ball Park as the Cincinnati Reds host the Milwaukee Brewers.
The night raises money for ALS research and celebrates people who are living with the debilitating and deadly disease.
Lou Gehrig Day is held annually around Major League Baseball to honor the legacy of New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig, who died of complications from ALS.
Hop, a member of the Zac Brown Band who has ALS, will sing the national anthem.
The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown out by Sam Telgkamp, who was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 25.
On Monday, WLWT was joined by Telgkamp, her mother Carol and her father, Dan, who talked about Sam’s fight against the disease.
See the full interview in the video player at the top of the story.