Back in 2014, you couldn’t go online without seeing someone getting drenched in ice water.

The ice bucket challenge, started by Pete Frates to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, took the world by storm.

Footage of the challenges gained traction on social media, prompting numerous celebrities to join, including Lady Gaga, LeBron James, Amy Schumer and Oprah Winfrey.

Even Archbishop Desmond Tutu got involved. He went on to nominate Richard Branson and Peter Gabriel.

Huffington Post has more on the man who started it all:

In 2012, Frates was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that impacts nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain, gradually restricting muscle movement. It is ultimately fatal, and has no cure.

“Remarkably, Pete never complained about his illness,” Frates’ family said. “Instead, he saw it as an opportunity to give hope to other patients and their families.”

Frates started the ice bucket challenge, as it was known, in the summer of 2014, daring participants to dump ice over their heads in an effort to raise awareness and money to fight ALS.

Sadly, he passed away on Monday at the age of 34.

Frates’ family called on the public to “celebrate Pete and the hope that he has given to so many by following his daily affirmation: Be passionate, be genuine, be hardworking and don’t ever be afraid to be great.”

The money raised by the ice bucket challenge helped researchers to identify a new gene associated with ALS. The discovery could provide scientists with another potential avenue for therapy development.

In Frates’ memory, I’ll leave you with 38 celebs doing the ice bucket challenge:

May he rest in peace.

[source:huffpost]