The Gundlach/Kratochwill Family

It’s a story about loss and heartbreak—but also love and hope.  

In 2008, our beloved matriarch, Eileen Gundlach, passed away from ALS. Soon after, we began to understand that we carry a genetic strain of the disease, and that there is no cure, or even an effective treatment. In fact, Eileen’s father, Jacob Wepking, also had the disease, but his family did not realize it until much later. 

It’s heartbreaking to face a family diagnosis like this. Being a genetic (or familial) family means that each one of us has a 50/50 chance of inheriting ALS… and each one of us that carries it has that same chance of passing it on to our children.

Kevin Gundlach was the first of the Gundlach children to be diagnosed, and he passed away in 2009 due to complications from the disease. Next, Keith began to experience symptoms in 2011. Doreen was diagnosed in 2016, though she experienced symptoms beginning in 2011. Together, Kevin (Mary Jo) has three children; Doreen (Charlie Kratochwill) has four children; Marty (Nancy) and Brad (Ann) also have children, adding up to a total of 11 grandchildren on the Gundlach side. Many of these grandchildren also have their own children, totaling 12—with one more on the way. These next generations are also at risk of inheriting this disease. 

ALS is a terrible neuromuscular disease. Those with the disease lose the use of their arms and legs first and then eventually experience difficulty swallowing, speaking, and breathing. Essentially, those who suffer from ALS become prisoners in their own bodies. Most people with ALS pass away from suffocation. To this day, there has never been hope for anyone diagnosed with ALS, and we plan to change that.

In 2021, the Weber family, a family with the exact same mutation as our family, created NextGen ALS, a non-profit founded out of love. Our goal is to save the next generation of those families struggling with genetic ALS, and we need your help! Because of the research we’re doing, together we can finally give hope to those families with genetic ALS. Truly, any and all ALS research is important. 

Thank you so much for your support and generosity. We couldn’t do it without you. 

With hope and love,

The Gundlachs & Kratochwills