Co-founder of ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ dies after ALS battle

The ALS Association says a man credited as one of the co-founders of the viral “Ice Bucket Challenge” that swept social media in 2014 has died after a yearslong battle with the condition known as Lou Gerhig’s disease

The ALS Association says a man credited as one of the co-founders of the viral “Ice Bucket Challenge” that swept social media in 2014 has died after a yearslong battle with the condition known as Lou Gerhig’s disease. Anthony Senerchia was 46.

Golfers Justin Rose of England and Brandt Snedeker of the USA take the 'ice bucket challenge' with a bit of help from their caddies Mark Fulcher and Scott Vale. (AFP File Photo)

The Anthony Senerchia Jr. ALS Charitable Foundation website says the Pelham, New York, native died early Saturday.

In a video released by the ALS Association, Senerchia’s wife, Jeanette, discusses how she helped launch the challenge by dumping a bucket of icy water on herself in 2014 and posting the video to Facebook. The challenge really took off when it reached friends of Pete Frates, a former baseball star at Boston College who was also fighting ALS.

Senerchia’s bucket was put on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington last year.