Everyone. . .Vikings fans and non-Vikings fans alike. . .should take the opportunity to read Mark Craig's story from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune about former Vikings safety Orlando Thomas. Thomas is afflicted with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease.
ALS is a terrible disease. . .it moves slowly through the body, taking with it the abilities of the muscles to function at it attacks nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. As of today, Thomas is paralyzed from the waist up and has limited movement in his legs.
Thomas had some spectacular seasons for the Vikings early in his career, and was a solid player until he retired after the 2001 season. He's also about two years older than I am (he's currently 32). It's scary to think about how someone that was so physically strong can find themselves in Thomas' current state because of a disease like ALS.
Take a minute or two to send some prayers or some good vibes to Orlando and Demetra Thomas. I'm sure that they could use some.