Have you noticed the social media sensation that features people dumping ice all over themselves? Seen your friends do it but have no clue as to why they’re doing it? Here’s why: The “Ice Bucket Challenge” is actually part of a campaign to raise money in fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease that attacks the brain and the spinal cord.
Through this challenge, more and more people are becoming aware of the disease and social media sites like Facebook and YouTube has seen a huge uptick in uploads over the last week. The #ALSIceBucketChallenge was started in July by Pete Frates, 29, a former Boston College baseball player who has been battling ALS since 2011 and it has now become a worldwide craze.
Various people from all walks of life has took part in this challenge and these people include Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Justin Timberlake, and Jimmy Fallon and The Roots.
Oh, and not forgetting, even Facebook’s very own Mark Zuckerberg.
Challenged by Chris Christie, Zuckerberg dumped the bucket on himself and since the tradition is to pass the icey-torch onto at least three people, he went for the big guns and called out Bill Gates, Sheryl Sandberg, and Reed Hastings to do it next.
Get Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg to dump ice on himself: √ – Achievement unlocked!
Just in case you were wondering, some of the people who suffered and are suffering from ALS includes professional baseball player Lou Gehrig, Theoretical Physics & Cosmology Professor and author Stephen Hawking, and musician Jason Becker.
Now if you want to join the cause, all you have to do is record yourself pouring a bucket of ice water over your head. Before doing that, challenge 3 of your friends, loved ones, or co-workers to do the same within 24 hours. You post the challenge on social media and if it’s not met, they have to make donations to ALS. Hopefully, a donation will be made regardless of dumping ice on your head or not. 😉
Check out the video below for Mark Zuckerberg’s Ice Bucket Challenge.
Wouldn’t you like to see Bill Gates do the ice bucket challenge? Your wish is our command!
Bill Gates graciously took the baton and “constructed” the best ice bucket challenge to date. Such a good sport! Watch:
Ryan Seacrest, you’re up next!
