Wayne Erickson was diagnosed with ALS in 2012. During his diagnosis Wayne was known to share his personal experiences with those around him, teaching students and care staff about ALS and the needs of an ALS patient. He was the kind of person who always wanted to help, he was always able to be open and honest about his situation and his needs, making things very easy for Wayne’s caregivers to help him. If you asked any of the caretakers that worked with Wayne over the years to describe him, you would hear the same sentiment, “never grumpy, always the first to offer a solution”.

Wayne was a gifted artist, and photography is what he loved to do. If you were to take a look around the home of Wayne and his wife (Norma Erickson), you would see an array of beautiful wildlife photography, proudly framed and displayed on the walls for everyone to enjoy. One photo in particular, the snowy owl, became a bit of a symbol for Wayne and for the ALS Society of Alberta. The snowy owl represents freedom and flying high, something our families can surely relate too.

Norma, is also an artist and dedicated to her work. Norma has been quilting for over 35 years and has been making beautiful quilts for the WALKS to End ALS since 2015. In 2019 after hours and hours of hard work, the Eagle quilt was born, this amazing quilt was inspired by Wayne. Norma continues to keep Wayne’s legacy alive with her love of quilting. Each year, she creates a beautiful new piece for us during event season, to raise money for people living with and affected by ALS. Earlier this month, we were lucky enough to raffle off not just one, but TWO of Norma’s beautiful creations, aptly named, “The Twins”.