A woman with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is inspiring many after standing and dancing with her eldest son at his wedding, with the help of all three of her sons.
Kathy Poirier, 55, was diagnosed with the disease three years ago. She has since lost the use of her arms and legs. She also has breathing difficulties, but she can still speak.
Kathy has three sons: Zak, 28, Jake, 27, and Nick, 27. When her firstborn married his eight-year girlfriend on April 9,
Kathy was adamant about standing during the special event.
“I was devastated that I wouldn’t be able to dance with him.” We discussed it, and I was determined to make it happen,” she told The Epoch Times.
Kathy imagined a special mother-son dance moment with Zak before the wedding.
“I was very concerned on the day of the wedding… It was difficult, but she wouldn’t have done it any other way.
While their friends and family looked on, twins Jake and Nick helped lift and support their mother as she danced with Zak in the tear-jerking moment captured on camera. Throughout, all three men comforted her, telling her, “We’ve got you, Mom, don’t worry.” “We can do it.”
“I love you,” Zak told his mother as they danced.
Kathy treasured being a part of this moment.
“I had a hard time holding back my tears, but it felt great,” she recalled. “It felt liberating to get up and share that moment with my son at such a pivotal point in his life.” It was simply stunning.”
Zak and his wedding planner, Valiant Weddings, posted a video of the mother-son dance on Instagram, which quickly went viral. But Kathy insists that the video isn’t about her, but about a larger cause.
“The video is about raising awareness about ALS because it is so cruel.” There is insufficient awareness. I’m very fortunate; I have family and money for treatment. “But it’s not just about me; it’s about all the people who are sick with this disease and need help,” she explained.
Kathy was an interior decorator running her own business when she was officially diagnosed with ALS in January 2019. Her initial symptoms were weakness in her hands while working, which she thought was just a pinched nerve. However, further testing proved otherwise.
Despite her condition, Kathy is staying positive.
“I look at it as, I have two options: I can either accept the diagnosis and all that comes with it, or I can accept the diagnosis and fight it. I’m choosing to fight it. I love my life … but I want to live as long as I can,” she said.
Every year, approximately 30,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with ALS, and 90 percent of those cases are considered “sporadic,” meaning they could happen to anyone. There is no known cure for the disease, and doctors expect patients to live for two to five years after diagnosis.
Many people with ALS lose their ability to chew, speak, stand, and control all of their neck muscles.
Because Western medicine offers few solutions, Kathy has turned to holistic treatments to alleviate her symptoms. She has also altered her diet, meditated, and participated in energy healing, acupuncture, and weekly frequency healing sessions.
Kathy’s twins returned home to help care for her. Nick witnessed his mother’s loss of faith as a result of her diagnosis, but their Catholic faith has helped their family persevere in the face of adversity.
“I think having that faith really helps in devastating times like this,” Nick said. “I pray every night to God that my mother will heal. Those unique treatments that my mother has decided to try, it makes her a warrior. She really cares about all of us in her life, and she’s willing to fight the fight for it, for everything. I want to be part of that miracle.”
Nick gave Kathy a pearl necklace, which is also her birthstone, to honor her bravery and resilience.
“She is unshakeable not because she has never known pain or failure, but because she always perseveres… “She is like a pearl, made of grit but full of grace,” he explained, using his own words to explain its significance.
Kathy believes that everything she is going through right now has a purpose.
“I’m not expecting God to heal me overnight; I believe God is saying, ‘You are strong enough to deal with this disease.'” ‘Let us use you to help and inspire others,’ she says.
In the video below, you can learn more about Kathy’s inspiring story.
