This year, I’m walking in the ALS United Walk in memory of my mom, Cindy Schiff.

For those who knew my mom, you know just how special she was. She had a bubbly personality, an unforgettable laugh, and a way of making everyone feel welcome the second they walked through the door. She loved bringing people together, hosting family and friends alongside my dad, cheering on the Ravens, and finding a reason to laugh no matter the occasion.

Most importantly, she loved with everything she had. I was incredibly lucky to experience that love as her son, but it extended far beyond our family. She treated people with kindness, warmth, and genuine care, and she had a way of making you feel like you mattered.

A few years ago, ALS took my mom from us far too soon.

ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a cruel and relentless disease that slowly takes away the things we so often take for granted—the ability to walk, speak, swallow, and eventually breathe. Most people diagnosed live just 2–5 years after diagnosis, and today, there is still no cure.

That’s why we’re walking for Cindy.

We’re walking for the moments ALS took from her and from our family. We’re walking for every family that has had to watch someone they love battle this disease. And we’re walking in the hope that one day, no family will have to experience what ours did.

There has been meaningful progress in ALS research, treatment, advocacy, and support—but there is still so much more work to be done. Every donation helps support people currently living with ALS and their families while continuing the fight for better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

If you knew my mom, loved my mom, know someone affected by ALS, or simply want to be part of this fight, I would love for you to join our team, Cindy’s Flock, for the Philadelphia ALS United Walk. If you can’t walk with us, please consider supporting our team with a donation.

I can’t think of a better way to honor her than bringing people together, something she did so effortlessly throughout her life.

So Cindy’s Flock will walk together. We’ll laugh. We’ll tell stories. We’ll probably talk some Ravens football. And most importantly, we’ll celebrate and remember the incredible person who brought all of us together in the first place.

ALS may be relentless, but so are we.