It’s been over six years since Lenny Alvarez was diagnosed with ALS, but the lifelong Hollister resident has been unwavering in his belief that positives are born out of adverse situations.
“People ask me how am I dealing with this, and I tell them there’s nothing I can do about it,” said the 48-year-old Alvarez, who is well regarded around Hollister because he was a longtime coach for the city’s Pop Warner, Little League and youth softball leagues. “I never say, ‘God, why me?’ It’s just something that happened, and I feel something good will come out of this.”
Perhaps Alvarez will inspire everyone he comes in contact with, as they see a person maintaining optimism in the face of brutal circumstances.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.
The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons eventually leads to a person’s death. Alvarez, who is slowly losing his voice and is confined to a wheelchair for the majority of the day, knows his condition will only worsen.
But the doomsday scenario has done nothing to shake his spirit and faith.
“Faith and family is what keeps me going,” said Alvarez, a devout Catholic. “I can’t give up because I have so many people out there praying for me. I thank God everyday that my family is here to help me. I don’t know what I would do without them.”
Alvarez has two children — Danielle, 22, and Nathan, 18 — and a wife, Lupe, who live with him. Alvarez can’t feed himself because ALS has robbed him of strength in both of his arms, but his legs are still strong enough to allow him to stand for short bursts.
“My legs are the strongest thing in my body,” he said.
Along with his mind.
Alvarez has displayed an indomitable spirit ever since being diagnosed with ALS on April 2, 2007. Of course, he was shocked when his doctor first told him the news.
“I almost fainted,” he said. “We (Lupe and I) didn’t tell our kids for six to eight months because I didn’t know how to tell them. I mean, how do you tell your kids something like this? But this is a small town, and we didn’t want them to hear it from anyone else.”
Alvarez has been a San Francisco 49ers fan since the day he was born — literally. His father, Jose, who has also lived his entire life in Hollister, is a longtime 49ers fan and made sure his son followed the course.
That’s why when Alvarez was able to meet star quarterback Colin Kaepernick on Aug. 2 — courtesy of a mutual connection the two had — he was downright elated.
“I felt like a kid again,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez and his family spent several hours at the 49ers practice facility in Santa Clara, and received a tour of Levi’s Stadium.
“It was breathtaking,” he said. “Just amazing.”
Alvarez got to talk extensively with Kaepernick and coach Jim Harbaugh, and the organization gave him a game ball, which Alvarez proudly has on display in his living room coffee table.
Maggie Cuneo, a Hollister native who is part of the 49ers community relations staff, led the Alvarez family around the facilities.
“I happened to coach Maggie’s brother in Pop Warner Football,” Alvarez said. “And I’m friends with her uncle and aunt. Always nice to see another person from Hollister.”
Alvarez said one of the favorite parts of his day was Kaepernick’s parting words: “Keep praying and God bless you.”
“A lot of people don’t know Colin is a spiritual guy, and all of his tattoos are biblical (in nature),” Alvarez said.
Two years after being diagnosed with ALS, a couple of Alvarez’s friends put on a fundraiser event to help the family with his medical costs, and 500 people showed up.
Alvarez doesn’t know how many years he has left — only 10 percent of ALS patients live up to 10 years after diagnosis — but Alvarez knows as long as he’s alive, he’s going to stay positive and remain firm in his faith.
“I feel good,” Alvarez said. “I’ve got no complaints. I just want to remain strong for my family.”
Strong indeed.
