Chris Pendergast, Founder Of ALS Ride For Life, Dies At 71

NORTHPORT, NY — Christopher Pendergast, a former Northport teacher, was a leader in the ALS community and his death Wednesday is being mourned by many across Long Island. Pendergast, once an elementary school teacher in Northport, battled the disease for 28 years before succumbing at the age 71. He lived in Miller Place.

He founded the ALS Ride For Life charity, dedicated to raising funds for research into the disease, supporting those diagnosed and helping to bring awareness to the fatal and progressive condition, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

According to the nonprofit's website, a the Ride for Life annual event ALS patients ride their power wheelchairs along Long Island highways to Manhattan every May to bring awareness to the wider community about the disease, which has no cure.

The group issued the following statement honoring Pendergast:

"Although a quadriplegic on a ventilator and using an eye-gaze computer to communicate, in his final days, Chris still continued to remain active with the Ride. Through his tireless leadership and activism, more than $10 million has been raised for research, patient services, and education about this dreadful disease. The Ride family joins Chris’s family in grieving the loss of this special caring, loving, man of faith, and together we celebrate his numerous accomplishments on behalf of ALS patients around the world."

Pendergast is survived by his wife, Christine Pendergast, his son Buddy Pendergast, his daughter Melissa Scriven, and a grandson Patrick Scali.