Photo: WBZ NewsRadio \ Suzanne Sausville
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A hundred people ran into the icy cold water at South Boston wearing curly blond wigs on Saturday in the name of raising ALS awareness.
On Saturday morning, the second annual Rally 4 Nally took place at Carson Beach in honor of Cathy Nally, a Westwood woman who died of ALS in August 2022. The day started off with a polar plunge to "splash in the fight against ALS," event organizers said.
Rally 4 Nally organizers do the polar plunge as a way to raise awareness and fundraise for ALS research. A hundred people dressed in funky costumes and ran into the water as a way to remember Nally's legacy and support Compassionate Care ALS and The Peter Frates Family Foundation.
Shawn participated in the event and was one of the few to dunk under the water.
"It was nice it was a lot warmer than I thought it was going to be," he said.
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Dan, Cathy Nally's son, told WBZ's Suzanne Sausville, she never felt sorry for herself and worked hard to fight the disease and find a cure after she was diagnosed in 2020.
Photo: WBZ NewsRadio \ Suzanne Sausville
"Instead [she] really just rallied behind it and said okay this is my mission, this is my calling, what can I do to make sure others never have to go through with this so she worked hard to get some bills passed in Congress to increase ALS funding," he said.
Nally's daughter, Betsy, said she could feel her mom's spirit.
"I think she's actually the one behind the good weather today so I think she's definitely shining down," said Betsy while dressed in a pink elf costume for the plunge. "I feel her presence here and I think we'll just all try to emulate her amazing spirit."
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