>> Devin: IF YOU’RE A FORMER STUDENT ATHLETE FROM OAKLAND
UNIVERSITY, YOU KNOW THE NAME
TOM FORD.
TOM FORD. THE AT LETTIC TRAINER FOR 30
YEARS WAS ALWAYS THE ONE TO
KOUBT ON.
KOUBT ON. >> A DIAGNOSIS THREE YEARS AGO
STOPPED HIM IN HIS TRACKS.
JAMIE CAUGHT UP WITH T. FORD
RECENTLY AND TALKED WITH HIM
ABOUT HIS FIGHT AND LESSONS
LEARNED ALONG THE WAY.
>> Reporter: THIS IS TOM FORD
ON AN EPISODE OF SPORTS FINAL
EDITION IN MAY 2017.
HE WAS JUST DIAGNOSED WITH ALS
AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT
SPREADING AWARENESS AND HOPING
FOR A CURE.
NEARLY THREE YEARS LATER HIS
MISSION REMAINS THE SAME.
YOU HELPED ALL THESE ATHLETES
GET BETTER.
GET BETTER. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO KNOW THAT
MAYBE YOU CAN’T GET BETTER?
>> IT’S A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME
FOR ME.
FOR ME. I CAN’T PUT TAPE ON IT.
I CAN’T REHABILITATE IT.
>> Reporter: FOR 30 YEARS TOM
FORD OR T. FORD AS HE’S KNOWN
WAS THE GO-TO GUY AT OAKLAND
UNIVERSITY.
UNIVERSITY. THE ATHLETIC TRAINER WORKED WITH
ABOUT EVERY SPORT AND EVERY
STUDENT ATHLETE, MEN’S
BASKETBALL WAS ONE OF THE
CONSTANTS AND HE AND HEAD COACH
GREG CAMPY GREW VERY CLOSE.
>> THERE AREN’T A LOT OF
ATHLETIC TRAINERS THAT SIT NEXT
TO THE HEAD COACH.
FOR YEARS EVERY GAME I’D SIT
DOWN AND HE’D BE RIGHT NECK TO
ME.
ME. >> FOR YEARS HE WENT TO HOME AND
AWAY GAMES AND OFTENTIMES HIS
WIFE AND THREE KIDS HAD TO SHARE
THEIR DADS WITH THOUSANDS OF
STUDENT ATHLETES
STUDENT ATHLETES >> TOM WAS A HEALTHY MAN, AND WE
WERE JUST CRUISING ALONG TOWARDS
RETIREMENT WITHOUT LZING WHAT
WAS AHEAD FOR US.
THEN IT CAME.
>> Reporter: A DEVASTATING
DIAGNOSIS, AND THEN A FAMILY
DECISION.
DECISION. >> ONCE YOU ARE GIN THE
DIAGNOSIS, THE ONLY ADVICE THEY
GIVE IS YOU BETTER GO HOME AND
GET YOUR AFFAIRS IN ORDER.
>> Reporter: TOM SPEAKS THROUGH
A SPECIAL MACHINE WITH HIS EYES.
THERE’S A PURPLE DOT NEAR THE
LETTERS AND THE MOUSE IN HIS
HAND CONFIRMS.
HAND CONFIRMS. FORD SAID AFTER THE DIAGNOSIS,
THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION WITH
DOCTORS OR INSURANCE COMPANIES
ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE.
HE ACCEPTED THAT HE HAD ALS, BUT
HE STILL HAD PLANS.
>> ALS IS A HORRIFIC DISEASE.
YOU LOSE THE ABILITY TO BRETT,
SWALLOW, WALK AND POSSIBLY THE
USE OF YOUR ARMS TO THE POINT
WHERE YOU’RE LOCKED IN YOUR
BODY.
BODY. >> Reporter: AS TOM’S PHYSICAL
ABILITIES DETERIORATED, KATHY
WOULD FIND WAYS TO CONTINUE TO
KEEP HIS QUALITY OF LIFE.
>> DAILY SHE HAS TO FIGHT FOR
ME.
ME. >> Reporter: WHILE LIFE FOR TOM
AND AND CATH WHERE I AND HIS
FAMILY IS NOT EASY, THEY BELIEVE
THE MOVES THEY MADE MADE IT
POSSIBLE FOR TOM TO ENJOY HIS
LIFE.
LIFE. WHILE HIS GRANDSON MIGHT BE HIS
GREATEST JOY, HIS GREATEST HONOR
WAS A RECENT INDUCTION INTO THE
OAKLAND UNIVERSITY AT LET TUCKS
HALL OF HONOR.
>> THE FOREVER ATHLETIC TRAINER
TOM FORD.
TOM FORD. >> I WAS HONORED AND HUMBLED TO
BE INDUCTED INTO THE OAKLAND
UNIVERSITY 2020 HALL OF HONOR
ALONG WITH MANY OUTSTANDING
PIONEERS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
>> Reporter: NOW TOM’S MISSION
IS TO TRY TO MAKE THE LIFE OF
FUTURE ALS PATIENTS BETTER.
WHILE THERE’S NO CURE, THE FORD
FAMILY IS MAKING EVERY SECOND
COUNT.
COUNT. >> I LIVE EACH DAY TO BELIEVE
THAT GOD MADE A CONSCIOUS
DECISION FOR US TO SHOW THAT YOU
CAN LIVE AND HAVE A LIFE WITH A
DISEASE, A FATAL DISEASE AND
STILL FIND JOY EVERY DAY IN YOUR
FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. THAT’S WHAT WE TRY TO DO.
>> Reporter: IN ROCHESTER,
JAMIE EDMONDS, LOCAL 4.
>> Kimberly: WHAT A STRONG
FAMILY, TOO.
FAMILY, TOO. ALL OF OU RALLYING AROUND TOM
FORD AND HIS FAMILY.
HIS BATTLE WITH ALS HAS HIM IN
THE ICU TONIGHT.
>> Devin: THEY CREATED THE TOM
FORD AT LETTIC CENTER ENDOWMENT.
IT SUPPORTS ATHLETIC MEDICINE,
WHICH WAS HIS PASSION FOR MOST
OF HIS ADULT LIFE.
IF YOU WANT TO TOE NATURE IT’S
ON OUR WEBSITE,
CLICKONDETROIT.COM.
CLICKONDETROIT.COM. SO MANY PEOPLE PULLING FOR HIM.