PEMBROKE — On Sept. 27, walkers from across the region will gather in North Myrtle Beach to raise funds and awareness for the fight against ALS — a cause close to the heart of former UNC Pembroke professor Tim Ritter.
Ritter, who taught physics for 21 years before retiring two years after his ALS diagnosis in 2015, has spent the years since not retreating but stepping forward. Shortly after learning he had the disease, he participated in his first Walk to Defeat ALS in Fayetteville, determined to rally support for research and resources. This year marks his 10th walk.
“ALS is a terrible disease,” said Ritter, who uses a ventilator to breathe. “It’s always fatal, and there’s no cure. But the walk gives people something they can do. It builds community, raises money and it’s a way for friends and family to show up for each other.”…