Local residents and ALS activists across Canada are mourning the death of an ALS activist from Dubreuilville.
ALS Canada has confirmed that Eddy Lefrançois died on Friday, calling it "a tremendous loss for the ALS community of a champion, advocate, and friend".
Lefrançois was recognized in the House of Commons in late May, with Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Carol Hughes praising him as an example of someone who's defied the odds and refused to be limited, since he was given three to five years to live in 1992.
Lefrançois had long been an ALS activist, including with his "25k for 25y" campaign to raise $25,000 to mark 25 years since his diagnosis - his "Let's Roll Out ALS" team even raised nearly $17,500 for Sault Ste. Marie's Walk for ALS last year alone.
He continued to use his website and social media even as the disease took away his ability to speak, appearing in several videos or Facebook posts as an ALS Canada ambassador - in recent months, using "eye gaze technology" to get out his message, including one for the holidays.
Lefrançois was even the subject of a January 3rd post on the organization's Facebook page, encouraging people to "make a resolution to give hope to people living with ALS" and "send an email to your MP".