Read about supporters who have chosen to create a legacy of fighting ALS on every front: funding innovative research, connecting people living with ALS and their loved ones to the care and equipment they need, and advocating for better policies and funding.
Christopher Noel Ryan
Christopher Noel Ryan made a commitment to make a lasting impact with his incredible generosity and foresight. As part of his legacy, Christopher named ALS Network as a beneficiary of his estate. We received a sizable portion of his stock portfolio. This thoughtful contribution will ensure that our mission-driven work continues. His kindness and vision will forever inspire us as we work toward improving the quality of life for those impacted by ALS and support research to find a cure for ALS. There is an urgency to find treatments and cures for ALS. Christopher and his family hope that this gift can inspire others to join the ALS community to raise necessary funds and to advocate for change.
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Christopher Noel Ryan was born in the former British colony of Jesselton, North Borneo (now known as Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia) in December 1958. He was the fifth among seven siblings, having three sisters and three brothers. His early education was in Sabah and later in Bangalore, India where he got his first degree. He eventually returned to Malaysia.
He taught mathematics for a few years at a private college in Kuala Lumpur before going to the US in 1988 to continue his studies focusing on computer science. After attaining his post-graduate degree, he worked in Illinois, Nevada, and California over the following decades as a computer engineer, achieving his goals with characteristic determination and hard work. Christopher loved living in California. He bought a house in Santa Cruz which became his home.
Christopher loved travel, meeting peole, adventure, sports, and outdoor activities. His absolute passion was running daily, which he did with much joy and determination in the beautiful area around his home in Santa Cruz. Forever challenging himself, he took pilot training and learned to fly, para-glide and scuba dive.
Family, friendship, honesty, and integrity were important things to him throughout his life. Christopher was thoughtful and generous and he went out of his way to help his family, friends, and strangers. He unceasingly supported the people of whom he knew they were in need, his student friends in Carbondale, his friends in the Bay Area and, of course, his family. Even in his last wishes he thought of being helpful to others.
In 2018-2019 Christopher discovered he was suffering from ALS and began utilizing the Care Services with ALS Network. With his typical curiosity about all things in life, he systematically researched the available science behind the disease. He pragmatically and methodically organized his life around this new reality, informing all of us about the diagnosis and making plans for the remaining years of his life.
Christopher was very much attached to the US which had become home to him; however, while he was still able to walk, he wished to pay a last visit to his hometown, Kota Kinabalu, and to spend time with his family there. With some trepidation and with great courage he set out from Santa Cruz in mid-2021. His condition deteriorated during this time, and he died in his hometown on 13 December 2022, three days before what would have been his 64th birthday. Christopher was true to himself and lived his life with courage and dignity right till the end. His legacy to us, his family, is one of compassion, kindness, empathy, and hard work.
Ami Li
In December of 2017, Amy was diagnosed with ALS. As a Christian, she had a big heart, and always loved people and helping people in need. Amy looked for a way to leave a legacy to support research and help people living with ALS who experience challenges from this devastating disease. Through her estate plans, Amy created a fund benefiting the mission of ALS Network that accomplished all of her goals.
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Yanhong (Amy) Li, 李燕红 in Chinese, was born in 1964 in Jiamusi, Heilongjiang, China. Her father, Shunye Li, a renowned neurosurgeon and medical professor, and her mother, Yuxiu Wang, a chief nurse, were extremely compassionate and caring individuals. Both instilled in Amy a strong work ethic and taught her empathy for others.
Amy immigrated to the United States in the early 1990s with her 18-month-old son. She worked hard to improve her English and overcame the financial and academic difficulties she faced while raising her son. While her studies in China were in Russian Literature, in the United States, Amy obtained a Master’s Degree in Library Information Science.
She served the American Medical Association for over 25 years as their Clinical Medical Librarian/Director. Amy also joined the American Medical Library Association’s strategic planning committee and developed policies throughout the United States. She never stopped learning. In 2016, Amy was awarded a Master of Business Administration (MBA). She loved American History, Art and Literature, and also enjoyed traveling the world. In addition, Amy played the Erhu, a two-stringed bowed musical instrument or Chinese violin, in her younger years, and understood and appreciated music.
In December of 2017, Amy was diagnosed with ALS. As a Christian, she had a big heart, and always loved people and helping people in need. Amy looked for a way to leave a legacy to support research and help people living with ALS who experience challenges from this devastating disease. Through her estate plans, Amy created a fund benefiting the mission of ALS Network that accomplished all of her goals.
Sadly, Amy passed away in March 2020. She is survived by her son, her father, and her two sisters. She is laid to rest in Temecula, the city that she loved. Her legacy of caring and compassion lives on through her generous and thoughtful estate gift.
Peter Landecker
Peter B. Landecker, Ph.D., former Astrophysics Researcher and longtime ALS Network Advisory trustee, recently established the Peter Landecker Strategic Initiatives Fund in memory of his father, Dr. Louis Landecker, to support scientific discovery and the search for effective treatments and cures for ALS.
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Peter’s generosity was inspired by his own father’s ALS diagnosis in 1985, fueling his lifelong commitment to ALS research. Peter has always preferred to connect directly with the people who lead the programs he supports, and appreciates hands-on engagement with staff and volunteers, visits with researchers in the field, updates, and events hosted by the ALS Network.
As a former researcher himself, Peter understands challenges faced by scientists, which is why he has pledged sustained, multi-year support focused on scientific discovery. Peter has also included the ALS Network in his estate plan because he intends for his life and legacy to drive advancements in ALS therapy development — aiming for prevention, halting progression, and finding cures for ALS.
It is Peter’s strong belief in the effectiveness of the ALS Network’s integrated approach to accelerating scientific discovery and his experience with the organization that confirms his enthusiasm for powering the pioneering work of the ALS Network.
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