NAMPA, Idaho — "One thing that I know about Justin is that Halloween is his favorite holiday," Sarah Ho said.
That love for Halloween now carries a deeper meaning — one tied to a diagnosis that changed everything.
On Jan. 21, Justin Garcia's life took a turn. After noticing something felt off and with his wife's urging, he underwent testing and was diagnosed with ALS at just 35 years old.
ALS — short for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis — is a progressive neurological disease that affects motor neurons. It gradually robs the body of its ability to move, and currently, there's no cure.
"I miss the independence of not having the diagnosis," Garcia said.
But even in the face of a devastating diagnosis, Garcia continues to show strength.
"I'm still here and I'm still doing the day-to-day stuff," Garcia said.
A husband and father of five, Garcia says that while life has changed dramatically from being an athlete to a flag football coach, the journey has brought him closer to his family.
Garcia's wife, Ashley, described the impact on their family. "It's been a huge impact on our family, and a big, huge learning curve for our family, but it has brought a lot of awareness," said Ashley. "Not just for our family, but for the other families that are suffering and going through it."
Ho, Garcia's lifelong friend, has made it her mission to raise that awareness even further.
"He just means so much to me and the community. Since he's given so much to the community, it's up to us to give that back," Ho said.
To honor Garcia and others living with ALS, Ho started the ALS Pumpkin Glow at Shindig Farm — a powerful event filled with light, love, and purpose.
"Just like a pumpkin, ALS kind of carves the body away, carves a lot of life away. By lighting that pumpkin, it's lighting that fire, knowing that the spirit within them is never going to dim— ever," Ho said.
Ho envisions the event's impact extending beyond the local community.
"I want them to be able to have a seed that's planted to know maybe what ALS is when they're lighting their next pumpkin each season and be able to maybe have some sort of symbolism or movement going forward for those people so they know that they're not alone," Ho said.
Supporters for the event include ICCU, Shindig Farms, The Good Network, and Idaho Pacific Islanders— all helping make the event possible and spread awareness through the community.
The event will be Oct. 17 from 4-11 p.m. The pumpkin glow will start at 7 p.m.
Learn More: ALS Pumpkin Glow - Pumpkins for a Purpose
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