Local ALS patient beats the odds again to raise money

Over a year ago doctors told Tim Hill he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), he was going to be paralyzed and he was going to die. Saturday, he continued to prove doctors wrong as he jumped out of plane at 1,350 feet in Lewes, Del. to raise money for ALS patients at Peninsula Regional Medical Center. 

The journey in between though, was not always so clear according to his wife, Cindy Hill. 

After Tim received his diagnosis in April of 2014, sadness engulfed the family Cindy said.

“A doctor just looked us straight in the eyes and said, you have ALS, you’re going to be paralyzed, you’re going to die.” Cindy said. 

However Tim, Cindy and the rest of their family eventually came to accept what had come into their lives and began turning a negative into a positive. 

Although TIm had grown weak and was using a cane to walk, he began physical therapy at Peninsula Regional Medical Center, it was there he found hope. 

Through support, faith and pure determination Tim set out to accomplish what some perceived as impossible, a 10-mile walk from Dewey Beach to Bethany Beach. 

Having only been able to walk a block unassisted a week prior to event, even Tim had his doubts heading into November 2014 when his 10-mile walk was scheduled.

But Tim prevailed.

Since then he’s been able to tons of things that he says he wasn’t sure he would be alive to do, like walk his oldest daughter down the aisle on her wedding day. 

Saturday, he achieved another thing he never thought he would do, as he battled his fear of heights and cramps from his ALS condition to sky dive and raise money for his charity the 10 Mile Miracle. 

The non-profit organization donates all their money to ALS patients at PRMC to help them purchase equipment, help their quality of life and much more. 

The message behind it, is to believe you can better.

“There is hope and some people do get better,” Tim said. “If all you can move is your fingers, move your fingers. If you can only move your arms, move your ams. Just never stop moving.”

A large part of why Tim is still moving, is his wife Cindy. Cindy reconstructed Tim’s diet, cleaned the house and came up with all-organic nutrition plan for Tim to stay on. According to Tim, it’s a huge reason for why he’s feeling better than a year ago. 

“It just makes such a difference and that’s not what we’re told when we get ALS. We’re told, eat anything you want of course, because you’re not going to live long anyway and so (changing my diet) changed things so much,” Tim said. 

Although Tim still suffers cramps all over his body, Cindy said Tim’s condition has not gotten any worse, in fact he’s gotten a better,

As of right now, there’s no word of what Tim will do next year to raise awareness, but he said whatever it is, he plans to top skydiving.