'No Regrets In Life' For Former Firefighter As ALS Battle Ends

KANKAKEE, IL — After a more than four-year battle with ALS, a former Wilmington and Kankakee firefighter is ending his fight — on his own terms. Derek Hogg, a Channahon father of three, announced his decision Monday on Facebook to remove life support. "I have no regrets in life and I'm happy I was able to leave this world greater than I found it," he wrote.

Hogg had just turned 30 when he was diagnosed with the disease in May 2013. Since then, with wife Holly at his side, he has waged a battle against the disease, continuing to work for more than a year after his diagnosis and even completing parts of the Strike Out ALS 5K run in Chicago for the Les Turner ALS Foundation.

A GoFundMe campaign for the Hogg family was established in 2015 after Hogg's illness forced him to leave his job just three months shy of being eligible for a disability pension.

City officials allowed Hogg to work a desk job for several months, but denied requests to extend his employment long enough to qualify him for a pension, citing state laws, the Kankakee Daily Journal reported.

Last month, wife Holly talked with the Herald-News, saying the couple didn't even know what ALS was when the young dad was first diagnosed. "I was just overwhelmed," she said. " ... you never know when life is going to change."

Better known as Lou Gehrig's disease after the legendary baseball player, the fatal neurological disorder is degenerative, affecting the nerve cells in the brain and spine. The illness kills motor neurons, making it more and more difficult for patients to control muscle movement as the disease progresses.

"ALS took my ability to move, to eat or drink, to talk, and to even breathe," Hogg said Monday in a post shared by the Kankakee Township Fire Protection District. "No person should have to live like this."

His fellow firefighters shared his post Tuesday morning, telling Hogg, "See you on the other side."

Hogg will leave behind his wife and their three young children, Paxton, 5, Hayden, 3 and Brinlee, 1. "Thank you all for supporting me on this journey," his post said. "I've gained so many friendships and have so many memories had with many of you. You've all made my life complete. I love you all!"

Main image via GoFundMe