Former Texas A&M Football Player Chris Larkin Returns to Aggieland to Rally the Fight Against ALS and Attempt a World Record ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Founded by former Aggie football player Chris Larkin and his wife Cissy, Aggieland Against ALS mobilizes the Texas A&M community to fight ALS, in partnership with the ALS Association.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Oct. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- When Chris Larkin, a former Texas A&M tight end football player and proud Aggie alumnus, was handed a devastating ALS diagnosis, he refused to let it define him. Instead, he turned his fight into a mission that's inspiring thousands across Texas.

This fall, Larkin is returning to his alma mater to lead Aggieland Against ALS, a one-of-a-kind fundraising challenge and festival uniting students, alumni, and the community in the fight against ALS. What began as a statewide fundraising effort in May for ALS Awareness Month will culminate on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Aggie Park, in a powerful day of action, unity, and Aggie Spirit featuring a 5K Run, a community walk from Aggie Park to Simpson Drill Field, and an unforgettable Ice Bucket Challenge — where more than 500 participants are expected to participate in an attempt to break the world record for the largest IBC ever held on a college campus.

But for Chris and his wife Cissy, Aggieland Against ALS is about more than breaking records; it's about making a difference in the lives of people who are living with the realities of a devastating ALS diagnosis. Over the past year, the Larkins have been tireless advocates for people living with ALS, even helping to pass The Chris Larkin ALS Act, a Texas law that closes the Medicare coverage gap for those living with the disease. Now, they're channeling that same energy and leadership into building an event that raises awareness of ALS and critical funds to support people living with the disease and their families, all with the unshakable strength of the Aggie Spirit behind them.

"ALS is no match for the Aggie Spirit," said Chris Larkin, living with ALS and a Texas A&M alumnus. "This event is about showing that when Aggies rally together, there's no challenge too big, not even ALS."

Aggieland Against ALS is made possible thanks to the generous support of NOW Foods, the title sponsor, Dave Coolidge, Lauren and Bob O'Brien/Connie and Ben Langston Charity, gold sponsors and the backing of Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets, the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band, and Phi Delta Theta, who are helping lead the charge both on and off the field. William Chris Vineyards – A Texas Winery will also be on-site, offering wine for sale to support ALS research.

Proceeds from Aggieland Against ALS will directly benefit the ALS Association, which leads the nation in research, advocacy, and care services for people living with ALS — a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease that robs individuals of their ability to walk, speak, swallow, and breathe. There is currently no cure.

"The Aggie community has always stood for leadership and service," said Lindsey McElwee managing director of development. "Every step, every dollar, and every ice bucket challenge taken at Aggieland Against ALS moves us closer to making ALS livable for everyone, everywhere — and one day, to finding a cure."

Learn more or register here.

About ALS
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. For unknown reasons, veterans are more likely to develop ALS than the general population.

About the ALS Association  
The ALS Association is the largest ALS organization in the world. The ALS Association funds global research collaborations, assists people with ALS and their families through its nationwide network of care and certified clinical care centers, and advocates for better public policies for people with ALS. The mission of the ALS Association is to make ALS livable and cure it. For more information about the ALS Association, visit our website at www.als.org.

About Aggieland Against ALS
Aggieland Against ALS is a statewide fundraising challenge and festival uniting the Texas A&M community and supporters across Texas in the fight against ALS. The campaign kicks off each May during ALS Awareness Month and culminates with an in-person event each fall at Texas A&M University's Aggie Park. Together, participants raise funds to fuel ALS research, expand access to care, and spread awareness about this devastating disease.

SOURCE The ALS Association