Raised $27,706.19 of $24,690 Goal

Update: My father passed away on July 15, 2026. I had come home on July 10th to spend the weekend with him. Over the weekend we were sitting poolside reminiscing about last year's fundraising and discussing how we were going to hit this year's goal with just over a month left of fundraising. Fundraising for CCALS through the Falmouth Road Race became one of my dad's favorite hobbies over the past two years. It brought him so much joy knowing he could give back to an organization that had done so much for him and our family. Seeing our family, friends, and community come together in support filled his heart and reminded him of the incredible impact we can make when we unite for a cause. Let's honor my dad's legacy by coming together once again and helping us surpass his fundraising goal of $24,690. Every donation, no matter the size, is a meaningful tribute to him and will continue the mission he cared about so deeply. Our fundraising goal was intentionally picked to honor my dad as the SECOND of FOUR boys and the SIXTH of NINE children. When I asked my dad what should I do if/once we hit that goal, he said with a straight face "If we hit $24,690 you have to raise the goal to $246,900.00. No Pressure!" --- Here is our story --- Thank you for visiting my fundraising page for the 2026 Falmouth Road Race to support Compassionate Care ALS! I am excited to run this race’s seven miles in support of an organization that means so much to me. Funds raised from the Falmouth Road Race allow Compassionate Care ALS to provide direct services and durable goods to ALS patients, their families, and their caregivers. Please give generously and assist us in making a difference in the lives of those affected by ALS! The Falmouth Road Race has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Throughout the years, I've been a spectator, a "competitor", a post-race party crasher, and an At-Home Edition participant. Whether sweating through seven miles or cheering from Tennessee, every August the Falmouth Road Race is on my mind. This year is particularly meaningful for me to be a participant and specifically a charity runner to benefit CCALS. ---- Why ALS: In March of 2024, my dad, John Dooley (aka Captain), came down south for a month long visit in Nashville to stay with me and escape the cold, snowy, and icy New England weather (in true Jimmy Buffet fashion). He had been having mobility issues and was going through what felt like a never-ending series of tests. On April 2nd, he left Nashville just in time to make it back for his follow up EMG appointment. On April 7th, he was officially diagnosed with ALS. However, our journey with ALS didn't start on April 7th. In 2020, we just called it "calf pains", "bad shoes", and "Kyle you're pushing me too hard." Why the Falmouth Road Race: We didn't know it at the time, but the Falmouth Road Race is actually a trigger that lead to my father's awareness of something being off. During COVID, when we were all stuck at home, I chose to head north and "bubble" with my parents in Raynham, MA. That summer, my father, who was not a walker or runner prior to COVID, started joining me for my morning and lunch break walks. That June was when he started mentioning odd pains and sensations in his legs. Some days we would walk .25 miles, some days we would do .5 miles, and on good days we even got a whole mile in! August rolled around and the runners in our family suggested doing the Falmouth Road Race At-Home Edition. The week leading up to the big run I started tracking our walks on my apple watch. Through a series of one mile walks, he covered 4.91 miles. On the day that the runners planned to do their At-Home Edition runs, I told my dad that he only had a few miles left to complete the Falmouth Road Race with us. On August 26, 2020, my father not only walked his longest single distance of that summer (2.19 Miles!), he also completed his FIRST EVER Falmouth Road Race! Why CCALS: The following year is when the doctor visits and testing began which led us to his diagnosis. We are fortunate to have received the diagnosis with so much time to still enjoy with him. Much of that time has been made more comfortable and manageable through the support, comfort, advice, and generosity that CCALS offers PALS and CALS. That is why I am excited to participate in the Falmouth Road Race in honor of my dad, Captain John Dooley, and in support of Compassionate Care ALS!