Pete Frates, Inspiration for The Ice Bucket Challenge, Dies at 34

By Variety Staff

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Pete Frates, the inspiration behind 2014’s wildly successful ALS movement, the Ice Bucket Challenge, died on Monday. He was 34. 

The historic Ice Bucket campaign raised over $115 million to combat ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, which Frates also suffered from. 

“Pete never complained about his illness,” his family said in a statement.  “Instead, he saw it as an opportunity to give hope to other patients and their families. ”

Celebrities from around the world, including Oprah, Lady Gaga, Bill Gates and The Rock, participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014. The viral challenges involved daring a person to dump a bucket of ice water over their head within the next 24 hours.

Frates, a former Boston College athlete, is survived by his wife, Nancy, daughter Lucy and parents John and Nancy.