By: Brandon Apter, contributor 
During the middle of 2014, a craze was going around the nation, taking over news stories and social media feeds everywhere. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge brought awareness and funds to a disease that is still unfamiliar to most, but extremely devastating and heart-breaking for anyone who's been diagnosed and their friends and family. This morning, Kevin Turner, who was a fullback for the Eagles for five seasons, passed away after battling ALS since being diagnosed in 2010. Turner's foundation website released the following statement:
Our dear brother, former Crimson Tide and NFL star, Kevin Turner passed away this morning after a long battle with ALS. He was surrounded by his family and friends.
His father Raymond Turner said, "Myra and I lost a great son today. He will be missed so much. Thanks to everyone so very much for your support and prayers during this journey. He was ready to go to Heaven, excited he said, Love y'all and God Bless."
In eight NFL seasons between the Patriots and Eagles, Turner rushed for 635 yards and a touchdown and also caught 236 passes for 2,015 yards and 10 touchdowns. His best year with the Eagles came in 1997, where he compiled 443 receiving yards and three touchdowns, averaging 9.2 yards per catch.
After receiving the news on the passing of Turner, Jeff Lurie and two of Turner's former teammates, Doug Pederson and Duce Staley, released the following thoughts on the Eagles official site:
Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie:
“We lost a special person today in Kevin Turner. He was extremely courageous and inspiring throughout his life. I will never forget how excited we were when we signed him in 1995 and how valuable of a player he was leading the way for Ricky Watters, Charlie Garner and Duce Staley. But as good of a football player as he was, he was even a better man. His high character, kindness and respectful nature stood out to me the most. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”
Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, a teammate of Turner’s in 1999:
“It’s a sad day. Even though I only spent one year of my career with Kevin Turner in Philadelphia, it didn’t take but more than a few days to know how special of a person he was, how great of a teammate he was, and how great of a leader he was in the locker room. He was a special person on and off the field. I will always remember the great work his foundation did over the years and I will always remember the way he fought until the very end.”
Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley, a backfield mate of Turner’s from 1997-99:
“There was no one more serious and more prepared than Kevin Turner. His professionalism and respect were second to none. He made me a better pro. We lost a good man and a good teammate today. We will all miss him.”
ALS, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, according to the ALS Association's official site. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed. Most patients are given three to five years to live after diagnosis.
Two NFL players have been diagnosed over the past few years. Steve Gleason, who has taken the ALS world by storm since being diagnosed in 2011 at the age of 34, was most well known for his punt block against the Falcons in the Saints first game since Hurricane Katrina at the Louisiana Superdome. Gleason has helped make enormous strides in ALS research and with patients around the country with his organization, No White Flags.
In addition to Gleason, former special teamer/linebacker Tim Shaw was diagnosed back in 2014 at the age of 30. Tim, a graduate of Penn State, was a fifth round pick for the Panthers in 2007, spent 2008 with the Jaguars and 2009 with the Bears before joining the Titans in 2010 where he served as Captain in 2011 & 2012.
