Ray Bourque Gala Raises $182K In Honor Of Pete Frates' ALS Fight

BEVERLY, MA — Boston Bruins legend Ray Bourque's gala to raise money in memory of late ALS Ice Bucket Challenge co-founder and Beverly resident Pete Frates collected $182,000 for ALS research and care for those with the progressive neurodegenerative disease commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

The Bourque Family Foundation's Captain's Ball on Sept. 28 drew more than 600 people to Big Night Live in Boston. The Bourque Foundation dedicated $125,000 in proceeds from the event to the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital and $57,000 to the Peter Frates Family Foundation.

These funds will go directly to assist with ALS research initiatives and homecare support for individuals diagnosed.

"We were blown away by the support we received at The Captain's Ball and look forward to making this a huge event in Boston that continues to work towards Pete's promise to find a cure for ALS," Bourque said. "I look forward to seeing the amazing work both of these organizations accomplish."

Next year's Captain's Ball in honor of Frates is already set for Sept. 21, 2023, back at Big Night Live.

The St. John's Prep of Danvers and Boston College alumnus was diagnosed with ALS in 2012 at age 27. He died in December 2019 at age 34.

In 2014, Frates helped launch the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which is credited with raising awareness of the disease and more than $200 million for ALS research through 2019.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)