Hundreds of runners and walkers braved the blustery cold Saturday morning, April 14, to participate in the Gary Don 5k Run at Kimbrough Stadium in Murphy. The race was put on by the Plano East Senior High Senate to raise money for expensive stem cell treatments for Gary Don Moore, a varsity football coach and math teacher at Plano East. Each treatment costs between $40,000 - $50,000. He needs the treatment every six weeks.
Coach Moore was diagnosed last December with ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
“Our faith has grown stronger because of what we’re going through,” Coach Moore told the crowd. “My wife and I start every day reading our Bible together. It’s brought us closer.”
Moore told the crowd he had 20 Bibles in his truck if anyone needed one.