“It is 6 a.m., and I have been up all night,” Kerry Goode wrote on X. “I keep replaying moments — the warmup bar I couldn’t lift, the pan that slipped from my hands.”
Kerry Goode ALS was the phrase many fans searched for after the former Alabama running back posted to X following Chris Johnson’s public announcement. Goode — diagnosed in 2015 — used the post to revisit the ordinary moments that first signaled something serious was wrong: a warmup bar he could no longer lift, a pan of chicken that fell from his hands and nights when he woke gasping for breath.
Kerry Goode ALS: his X post and reaction
Goode posted to X after watching an interview in which former NFL running back Chris Johnson announced his own ALS diagnosis. In his message, Goode described short, vivid scenes from the earliest days of his illness — the moment a warmup bar dropped because he could not lift it, the barbecue where he lost his grip on a pan of chicken — images that condensed the slow, bewildering onset into recognizable snapshots.
Those images carried both shock and sorrow. Goode wrote that the interview dragged him back to “before the doctors, before the name ALS,” and he described how ordinary tasks started to fail in ways that felt inexplicable at the time. He also described waking at night gasping for breath, moments he initially feared were heart attacks.
Early signs Goode described
Goode’s recollections map onto patterns clinicians often note in early ALS: unexplained weakness, loss of fine motor control and breathing changes. The details he shared were everyday actions made difficult:
- Sudden inability to lift a warmup bar during routine training.
- Loss of grip that caused him to drop a pan of food while hosting a barbecue.
- Nights waking up short of breath and feeling confused, fearing a heart attack.
Those scenes highlight how ALS can begin subtly, eroding the physical strengths that defined a career and a daily life. For a former running back and coach whose work centered on physical performance, the contrast between past ability and present limitation is particularly stark.
Link to Chris Johnson and impact on former players
Chris Johnson’s public announcement prompted Goode’s post, and the link between the two stories resonated because both men played running back — a role associated with speed and power. For fans of Alabama football and the broader football community, seeing athletes speak openly about ALS can reopen private memories and increase public attention to long-term health challenges that affect players after their careers end.
Public disclosures by high-profile athletes often spur conversations about medical monitoring, caregiving needs and how sports organizations and communities support former players facing neurodegenerative disease.
Public response, support and next steps
Goode said he received over a hundred texts and emails after commenting on Johnson’s interview, messages that mixed support, concern and shared recollection. Those responses reflect how personal accounts from athletes can touch a wide audience and prompt both emotional support and practical assistance.
Readers who want to learn more or help can start with established organizations that focus on ALS research, patient support and advocacy, including the ALS Association (https://www.als.org) and reliable public-health information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/als). These groups provide guidance on caregiving, symptom management and ways to contribute to research and services.
What comes next
For Goode and others living with ALS, next steps typically involve assembling a care team (neurology, respiratory therapy, nutrition and physical therapy), planning for progressive support needs and connecting with local resources. Public attention from athlete stories can help raise funds for research and improve access to specialized care centers.
Advocacy and donations directed to reputable organizations support clinical trials and patient services; families can also seek out regional ALS clinics that offer multidisciplinary care and assist with equipment and home modifications.
Background and perspective
Kerry Goode played running back at Alabama from 1983 to 1987 and publicly shared that he was diagnosed with ALS in 2015. His recent reflection adds a firsthand account to a broader set of athlete narratives documenting how neurodegenerative disease can appear and progress.
Medical experts emphasize that ALS presents differently in each person. Common early signs can include muscle weakness, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and breathing problems — symptoms that may begin subtly and then advance. Ongoing research seeks to better understand causes, risk factors and potential interventions.
FAQs
What is ALS and how does it affect former players?
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurological disease that damages nerve cells controlling voluntary muscles. For former players, the disease can appear as unexplained weakness or loss of coordination. While research continues into possible links with sports-related factors, ALS occurs across many populations and has complex causes.
When was Kerry Goode diagnosed with ALS?
Goode publicly shared that he was diagnosed in 2015. In his recent X post he revisited early moments and symptoms that preceded his diagnosis.
How can fans support Kerry Goode or ALS organizations?
Fans can support individuals and research by donating to reputable ALS organizations such as the ALS Association (https://www.als.org), participating in awareness campaigns, volunteering locally, or contacting specialized care centers to learn about patient needs and services.
Personal accounts like Goode’s help others recognize early warning signs and connect families with resources sooner; they also keep public attention on patient needs and research funding.
Source attribution
Primary source: Alabama Crimson Tide coverage — tdalabamamag.com
Additional resources: ALS Association; CDC — ALS information
