Man who inspired ice bucket challenge honoured by prep school

DANVERS, Mass. — The man who inspired the ice bucket challenge has been honoured by the Roman Catholic prep school he attended in Massachusetts.

St. Johns Prep on Wednesday announced Pete Frates (FRAY’-tees) as its 2018 Distinguished Alumnus.

The headmaster also announced the dedication of the school’s baseball diamond in Frates’ name and the retirement of his No. 3 jersey in football, hockey and baseball.

Frates called it a “tremendous honour.”

He graduated from the all-boys school in Danvers in 2003.

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Frates inspired the ice bucket challenge that has raised more than $220 million for Lou Gehrig’s disease research since 2014.

The former Boston College baseball star was diagnosed in 2012 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. There is no known cure for the disease, which weakens muscles and impairs physical functioning.

The Associated Press