Young Superior Man Battling ALS Disease

SUPERIOR, Wis — This is a story of friendship. A friendship that formed among a diverse group of people.

What they have in common is Martial Arts, and a commitment to helping a friend in need.

Chris Gee is that friend and has ALS also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

He and the owner of a dojo, a martial arts training center Joe Tilander began training together during the pandemic and became good friends.

Tilander said, “So I think that over the years. As you know he’s probably the closest friend that I’ve ever had.”

After the pandemic, Tilander restarted his Stonehouse Martial Arts, in a new spot just blocks from the Government Center. Gee was instrumental in helping get the training center opened. He laid the floor, painted the walls, and even hand-painted the Dojo’s logo on the back wall.

Once the new location was opened Gee continued his training and began teaching at the dojo.

“He was my training partner, for the test,” said former student Roslyn. “So now he’s obviously not just my training partner anymore. He’s a friend. He’s a member of my family.”

ALS has now confined Gee, a single father with a nine-year-old son, to a wheelchair. The average life expectancy for someone with ALS is two to five years.

“It wasn’t easy to have the news, to hear the news, that this was happening, and then to watch it happen,” said longtime friend Adrian Bowser.

The disease became much worse, much more quickly than anyone would have hoped.

“It was very dramatic,” said Bowser. “It happened so fast. He was doing classes, and I was helping with classes. And when he literally could not stand to do the classes anymore.”

Those who know Gee from his work at Stonehouse got together and decided they had to help the family. In addition to regular visits at his home, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help with the bills and perhaps to get Gee some treatment.