For unknown reasons, military veterans are up to twice as likely to be diagnosed with the disease as the general public.
Notable individuals who have been diagnosed with ALS include baseball great Lou Gehrig, theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author Stephen Hawking, Hall of Fame pitcher Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Senator Jacob Javits, actor David Niven, "SpongeBob SquarePants" creator Stephen Hillenburg, “Sesame Street” creator Jon Stone, jazz musician Charles Mingus, singer/songwriter Kim Shattuck (The Muffs), bassist Mike Porcaro (Toto), musician Huddie Ledbetter (Lead Belly), theatre producer Jenifer Estess, boxing champion Ezzard Charles, NBA Hall of Fame basketball player George Yardley, golf caddie Bruce Edwards, photographer Eddie Adams, entertainer Dennis Day, former vice president of the United States Henry A. Wallace, U.S. Army General Maxwell Taylor, and NFL football players Steve Gleason, O.J. Brigance and Tim Shaw.
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