This week the dutch soccerplayer Fernando Ricksen passed away after fighting the terrible disease ALS (MND). ALS (Which stands for Amyotrofic Lateral Scleroses) for years. He was only 43 years old.




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What's ALS actually? (MND)

ALS is a disease which affects the nervecells whom direct the muscles. It causes the muscles to decrease performance. The nervecells in the spinal cord and the lower brain slowly die. This causes that signals from the brain won't reacht these muscles and therefore there wil be less till no muscle activity anymore. It is a progessive disease which means that in time more and mre muscles are affected except the muscle of the heart. the failure of the respiratory muscle often causes the death of the patient. The average life perspective of a ALS patient is often 3 to 5 years max.

Who was Fernando Ricksen

Fernando was a professional soccer player with a great career. His first club was Fortnua Sittard from where he transferred to AZ Alkmaar.

In 2000 he transferred to the Rangers in Schotland where he made a big career. He played at the rangers from 2000 until 2006 and had his biggest succes overthere. The Scotish people still carry him on hands.

With the Rangers he achieved:

• 2 times Scotish Championships
• 3 Scotisch leaque cups
• 3 times vice champion of Scotland

He had played 182 matches.

After his succes at the Rangers he transferred to Zenit St. Petersburg where he had big disciplinary problems. At that time he was under the unfluence of Drugs and Alcohol and didn't took it to serious with girls. This didn't help his career mucht and soon he got fired.

After an period of non-soccer and rehab's he returned to his first club Fortuna Sittard where he playes two full seasons at Fortuna.

The devestating news

Cause of his turbulent life and career Fernando had written (or cooperated in) his autobiography. For that reason he was invited to a Dutch talkshow called "De wereld draait door" .

The clip (subtitled).

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While the interview was about his book he also told about his diagnose of ALS. It's a heartbreaking moment where you can see the emotion taking over.... I was silenced when I saw the interview..... Cant'imagine where he had been gone trough, just knowing it for a month.

In the years following things got worse and worse with his health but he kept fighting.
all the clubs he had played organised honourable plays with (former) teammates to honour Fernando. Everyone felt involved and his fans gathered gave him the respect and recognition he deserverd.

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This video above gives me goosebumbs...the respect he is getting of the crowd and his colleques as well as the fragility of his body.....

Fernando fighted till the end, for his wife and his daughter. But eventually he couldn't win the battle...

Rest in Peace Fernando , a example to a lot of people on how to fight.....

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Peter