Cause Of Choice: The ALS Association, als.org.
You got involved with this charity because of your longtime friend, legendary Hollywood publicist Nanci Ryder, who passed away from ALS in June. “Yes. Nanci was my friend for my entire adult life. Her being stricken with this horrible illness gave me an awareness about it, but everybody should be aware of it. [Her battle] made it a priority to me, so I stepped up and I did whatever I could do wherever needed.”
Tell us how Nanci became your inspiration for your ALS activism. “Nanci was my dear friend and she faced this with a courage that I honestly did not expect. I really could not imagine her seeing this through to its horrible, bitter end. She didn’t have children or a husband so in that regard, it wasn’t like she wanted to push through to be there for a family for as long as she possibly could. She wanted to have an impact. She wanted to raise money. She wanted to raise awareness. She wanted to make a difference. She was so very noble and very brave. That is the legacy she leaves, way beyond her professional success, which was remarkable in its own right. Look her up!”
You spoke on Nanci’s behalf at several events. Tell us about that. “When she could no longer speak and did not really have big reactions, it did mean so much to me when we’d have events in honor of her birthday and things like that. When I spoke [for ‘Team Nanci’ at the 16th Annual LA County Walk to Defeat ALS in 2018], I said that we always called each other, ‘Solid,’ and that related to the song, ‘Solid As a Rock’ by Ashford and Simpson. Whenever I’d see her, we’d just say, ‘Solid!’ We did that for years, whether in person or over the phone. That was always how we’d refer to each other.”
You were also an instrumental part of establishing “Team Nanci”, which has raised nearly a million dollars for ALS, and last year, you spoke at the International Society for Stem Cell Research conference in hopes of finding a cure. “To speak at a gathering of stem cell scientists and clinicians in the world was humbling. Nanci’s story is a powerful one and I was honored to share it with those on the front lines in the battle to find a cure for ALS. It was my privilege to speak on her behalf — to speak about her and to speak for her. I was there for my friend. It’s as simple as that. It was all about her bravery and her wanting to make a difference — which she did.”
Even though Nanci has passed, you’re still dedicated to fight the good fight in her honor. “Absolutely! That goes without saying. If called upon, at any time, I and all of Nanci’s friends, I’m certain, would do whatever we can to help find a cure for ALS in her honor.”
