It is with great sadness that I have learned of the passing of Alex Flynn while raising awareness for PD in Nepal.
Alex is an inspiration to many. Since he was diagnosed in 2008, Alex had devoted his life to raising awareness and funding for PD. He had completed a 160-mile run in the Bavarian Alps, an ultra-marathon in the Sahara desert, a 450km expedition in the Swedish Arctic, and a 3,256-mile voyage across the United States by bike, kayak and on foot. Just before he passed away, Alex was set to become the first person with PD to climb the Everest.
In a recent interview by the Oxford mail , Alex was quoted as saying: “There are so many people out there with neurological diseases and so many feel isolated, alone, ostracised, and made to feel different because people simply don’t understand them. I want to change that. I want to show people what’s possible and raise awareness of the humanity behind the disease.”
Alex had agreed to be interviewed by me during the first quarter of next year.
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Good bye Alex I am sorry I did not have chance to know you.
Such sad news. A comment from his FB page
"Five days ago, I met a remarkable man. His name was Alex Flynn. For the past 5 days, we kept on joking with each other who had it harder, me with my broken back, or Alex with his Parkinson’s disease. Every time I told a story about my life, he always came up with something even more outrageous. We laughed and laughed and laughed. It was a great way to spend the hours around the stove in the tea houses as we progressed up the mountain. We both had a rest day in Khare, but that was when our hike separated as he stayed at Mera Base Camp while Dorji and I progressed on to Mera High Camp. The last time I saw Alex was about 200 meters before High Camp. He was headed up, I was headed down. We each were excited for the other. His determination was part of the reason I was able to push through and summit (instead of giving up… like everyone else did the day we summitted). On the one hand, it is tragic and sad that he died on the mountain, on the other, he died doing what he loved. Alex never let life stop him from his next adventure… and he never gave up on an opportunity to tell you just that."
I think he was around 50. He was in Nepal, preparing for the ascension of the Everest. I don’t know what exactly happened, but it seems to have been very sudden.
Such a great guy- I was lucky to talk to him a couple of times in the last few wks- he was so down to earth and humble constantly thinking of how he can improve other people's PD without the slightest concern for his own challenges.
I read about Alex on FB. Such an amazing man and very young when he was dx I think he was 36. What amazing courage he had to do such challenges to raise money for PD research and raise people’s awareness that PD is one of the fastest growing neurological conditions around the world. Condolences to his family and all who knew him. A very brave and courageous man.
This is very sad news. Alex was inspirational and much too young to die. My condolences to his family. Alex died doing what he loved, on the brink of the ultimate challenge but they are left without him. RIP Alex.
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