PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Trail Blazers radio host Mike Lynch, 34, who before landing his "dream job" with the Blazers in 2022 spent 11 years as a producer and host with Portland sports radio station 1080 The Fan, announced last week that he's been diagnosed with ALS.
"A few months ago, I was diagnosed with ALS," Lynch wrote in a social media post. "Sadly, this means the end of my radio career. ... This has been really difficult for me, I am devastated and overwhelmed."
In the social media post, Lynch posted a link to a GoFundMe to help raise money for his medical costs. As of Monday morning, it has raised more than $38,000.
The GoFundMe was posted by Lynch's partner, Ashley Kenyon. She has two children, ages 15 and 11, and according to the fundraiser post, Lynch is a "father figure" to the two children, "who love him dearly."
In the post, it says that Lynch first noticed a change in October 2023, that he couldn't "project his voice, say words clearly ... and was having a hard time walking around the court." Lynch visited multiple doctors with Kenyon. In November 2023, he had to take a leave of absence because he was having difficulty driving, walking and speaking. He was officially diagnosed with ALS on Jan. 2, 2024.
"Mike will be needing continuous care, and elevated treatment over the coming months and hopefully years to come," the GoFundMe states. "He will eventually need a plethora of different types of equipment (custom fitted motorized wheelchair, speech assist devices, breathing aids, etc.) that will allow him independence, mobility and to be able to do things that he enjoys."
In an update posted Sunday, Lynch's parents, Gary and Maxine Lynch, expressed their gratitude for the financial and emotional support.
"Our son is a very special person," they wrote. "We are very proud of him and it is heartwarming to see how many lives he has touched and inspired."
Kenyon, in an update posted Saturday, wrote that, "Mike has been feeling very uplifted by the overwhelming support and thanks you all deeply for your help during his time of need. This has been a great lift in Mike's spirit, and we cannot express our gratitude enough for that."
ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells that control muscles throughout the body.
