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© ALS Independence 2003-11
January 24, 2012
by Matt Schoch
Today, Howard Bell is ready to fight.
Last month, the Glendale High School baseball coach was diagnosed with
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease – after
losing about 50 pounds and going in for a November spinal fusion.
Rehabilitation to regain strength begins for Bell today.
“I haven’t been able to do anything, they told me absolutely no exercise,” he
said today. “They put a cage and a couple rods and screws to hold my vertebrae.
“And, as you know, if you don’t use it, you lose it. I’m anxious to get back
into shape.”
Bell, 48, has been head coach at Glendale since 2005, is a 1982 Parkview
graduate and is a former star shortstop at Missouri State University. He was
also drafted by the New York Mets.
ALS – which was nicknamed after Gehrig, the legendary New York Yankees slugger –
is a a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells and
pathways in the brain and spinal cord, according to the ALS Association.
According to the advocacy group, half of those affected live at least three
years or more after diagnosis. About one-in-five people live five years or more,
and up to 10 percent will survive more than 10 years.
Friends of the Bell family are putting together fundraisers to help contribute
to family medical costs.
For the Feb. 6 girls’ basketball game between Kickapoo and host Glendale,
wristbands and T-shirts will be on sale in an effort to raise funds for Bell.
Tickets for the game will be available at the door.
Bell plans to attend the events and is looking forward to spending time with
supporters.
“I’ll be in there around family and friends every chance I get,” Bell said.
“We’ve actually been overwhelmed with family and friends. There’s a lot of
people out there praying and thinking of us
“It’s been great. I feel like we’ve been blessed with being around so many good
people so many years.”
There is also a pancake breakfast scheduled for 7 a.m. Feb. 12 at Applebee’s,
1855 E Primrose St.
Tickets are $5 and will be made available at all area high schools and colleges
by the school’s baseball coaches. Tickets also will be available at the door.
Donations also can be made to the Help Howard Bell Strike Out ALS fund at Great
Southern Bank.
In addition, many area baseball programs are putting together alumni games at
Meador Park to raise money for the coach’s family.
Bell, who has been with the Glendale program since 1991, said he expects to
resume teaching and coaching duties after a checkup with a surgeon in late
February.
“I won’t be hitting fungos or anything like that, but things aren’t really going
to change,” Bell said. “I plan on going back and getting to work.”
"Life is short; leave a legacy!" Farhad Asl
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© ALS Independence 2003-11