Tim Green reflects on nearly a decade with ALS ahead of Wings Over Wall Street Gala
NEW YORK (WABC) -- For nearly 10 years, former NFL player, broadcaster, and author Tim Green has lived with ALS, navigating a disease that has changed nearly every aspect of his life while continuing to inspire others facing the same diagnosis.
Ahead of the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Wings Over Wall Street Gala, Green sat down with Bill Ritter for a candid conversation about living with ALS, adapting to change, and finding purpose amid uncertainty.
"When something like this enters your life, you have two choices," Green said. "You can shrink or you can decide that your life still has meaning. I chose meaning."
Green was diagnosed with ALS in 2016, a moment he described as both dark and disorienting.
"The diagnosis was disorienting, not just because of what it meant medically, but because it forced a confrontation with time," Green said. "It started with disbelief and denial. Then a kind of quiet reckoning."
Over time, Green says his mindset shifted away from asking why the disease happened to focusing on what remains possible.
"My perspective shifted from asking, 'Why is this happening?' to asking, 'What can still be done with what remains?'" he said. "That shift changes everything."
One of the most visible changes has been adapting to new technology to communicate as ALS has progressed. Green, who now relies on assistive technology to speak, described losing his voice as more than a physical challenge.
"Communication is how we relate, how we express love, thought, humor," Green said. "Technology gave that back to me in a new form. It is not the same, but it is real."
Throughout his journey, Green has relied heavily on support from family and medical teams. During the conversation, his son, Troy Green, and neurologist Dr. Maritza Kovic joined to reflect on his resilience and determination.
"Tim inspires all of us," Kovic said. "He has helped so many people living with this illness by showing how he's living with it."
While the disease continues to progress, Green says he no longer measures his life solely through physical changes.
"Today is different from yesterday, and tomorrow will be different again. That is the nature of this disease," he said. "But I am still here. I am still engaged. I still have the ability to think, to feel, to connect."
And for Green, that remains the measure that matters most.
"I measure how I am doing less by physical decline and more by whether I am still participating in life in a meaningful way."
Leaders from business, science, and the ALS community will gather in Lower Manhattan Thursday, June 4th, for the Muscular Dystrophy Association's 26th Annual Wings Over Wall Street Gala -- an event focused on raising critical funds and awareness in the fight against ALS.
Hosted by ABC7 Eyewitness News anchor Bill Ritter, the annual gala has become one of the leading fundraising events supporting ALS research and care, bringing together advocates, researchers, families, and financial leaders with a common goal: accelerating progress toward treatments and a cure.
Among this year's honorees is Tim Green, who will receive the Spirit Award for his advocacy, resilience, and commitment to raising awareness while living with ALS. Green's physician, Dr. Merit Cudkowicz -- Executive Director of the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute and one of the world's leading ALS researchers -- will receive the Diamond Award for her groundbreaking work advancing clinical trials, biomarkers, and new treatment development. IEX Exchange will also be honored with the Michael P. Beier Award for its leadership and philanthropic support of ALS research, inspired by a personal connection to the disease within the organization.
Founded more than two decades ago, Wings Over Wall Street has raised more than $13.4 million to support ALS research, advocacy, and patient care through the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
And for Green, the mission behind nights like this remains clear.
Watch Bill Ritter's extended interview with Tim Green:
