- Video shows Charles Wren explaining how he has gave back to the community his whole life despite the challenges.
- Charles Wren is an Arvin resident who was diagnosed with ALS in 2015.
- Wren has was a baseball and music coach before being diagnosed with ALS.
- Now, Wren uses his experience to help others with ALS cope with the disease.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Charles Wren has been living in Arvin for 53 years, and has always been committed to giving back to the community.
"We’ve always felt comfortable because Arvin is our home," said Wren.
Wren was diagnosed with ALS, short for, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2015. "It’s a disease with no cure and two to five years of life expectancy," he explained. "Your body becomes your own prison due to the signals from your brain to your muscles deteriorating which leads to paralysis
Before learning about his diagnosis, he says that he and his wife always gave back to the community.
"We coached youth baseball and participated in sports and music booster programs," he said.
As his illness progressed, Wren says that his wife stood by his side and became his caretaker. "Even though I am entirely paralyzed and on life support I've had a wonderful life with friends, family and loving wife," he said.
Wren added that he continues giving back to the community by helping others with ALS cope with the disease. "I show the importance of utilizing technology not only to speak with a communication device but showing how to stay connected to the outside world," he explained.
He highlighted that helping others has become his way of coping with ALS.
"Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain," he stated.
Wren created the following Facebook pages for community members with ALS to vent about their experiences and to donate:
ALS Venting Page
ALS Equipment Donation
ALS Support Group Without Censorship
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