DOWNTOWN — Julian Davis runs 70 miles a week, and most of the time, he's thinking about his dad.
Samuel Davis, who turns 61 on Christmas Eve, has ALS. Last year around this time, when he was diagnosed, he could walk, albeit with a cane. Now he can barely squeeze his hands; he's confined to a bed at his Avalon Park home 24/7.
Since Julian first learned his father had Lou Gehrig's Disease, he put his efforts into running, first at Brother Rice High School and now as a freshman on St. Xavier's cross-country team. He ran the Chicago Marathon — his first time running 26.2 miles — in October, finishing in 2:57.33. He also raised $1,300 for the Les Turner Foundation, which is dedicated to fighting ALS.
"He's my main motivation when I'm running," said Julian Davis, a Beverly native. "He's hanging on and it's one day at a time. He's trying to hang out as long as he can."
Samuel Davis was a security officer at O'Hare Airport when he first noticed he was limping. He was forced to use a cane, then a walker. He is now on a respirator and sometimes has trouble talking. Most of his time confined in the bed is spent talking to friends and family on the phone while he's watched by one of his other sons or his brother.
Following his son's running accomplishments has been a great joy.
"Ever since my son started running, I have been proud of him for his determination, and I'm proud to have him as a son," Samuel Davis said. "I pray every day that my son just continues to be the best person that he can be, and I am totally proud of everything he as accomplished."
St. Xavier's final regular season meet is Saturday's conference championships. Cougars coach Kyle Rago said Davis has become a vital part of the program in his first season.
"When his teammates found out that he was not only competing for us, but also training for a marathon in honor of his father, their respect for him grew even more," Raho said. "ALS is a horrible disease and if one of our own can help contribute to finding a cure, whether through fundraising efforts or even just bringing more attention to the severity of the disease, then our team will always support him in the pursuit of that goal.”
Julian Davis said he's not getting his dad a birthday present on Christmas Eve. It will come a month later, when he runs another marathon at Walt Disney World in Florida, where he plans to again raise money for ALS research.
"He still laughs and jokes around," Julian Davis said. "In a way, he’s still confident and he still wants to get better."
Click here for more information on Davis' donation page.
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