Over the past couple of years, Portland Trail Blazers fans have grown accustomed to turning on their radios and hearing Mike Lynch’s voice.
But on Friday, the team’s radio host revealed that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in January. Lynch also announced his retirement from radio.
“Sadly, this means the end of my radio career,” Lynch wrote on X. “I am thankful for all of those who listened over the last 12 years. I am also thankful to The Fan and the Blazers for believing in me and helping me grow in my dream career.”
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The Portland Trail Blazers center court logo at the Moda Center on January 31, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Lynch also expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support. He also acknowledged the difficulties he faces in his fight against the neurodegenerative disease.
“This has been really difficult for me, I am devastated and overwhelmed. I appreciate if you reach out, but please be patient as it is hard to respond to everyone, and I’m not always ready to talk about it.”
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Lynch graduated from Syracuse University and spent more than a decade at Portland radio station 1080 The Fan before taking a job with the city’s NBA franchise in 2022.
The GoFundMe page that Lynch’s wife, Ashley, created described her husband’s opportunity with the Trail Blazers as his “dream job.”
“Since the diagnosis, Mike had to leave his career with the Blazers, and has been struggling to do the things that he really enjoyed prior to his diagnosis,” the GoFundMe stated. “He has been rushed through a series of doctor appointments with the ALS specialists, as well as started his treatment that is meant to slow the progress and prolong life by up to one year longer.”
A basketball is placed on the court next to an NBA logo during a break in the first half of a 2023 NBA Summer League game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Houston Rockets at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 7, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The page also noted that Lynch was hoping to be accepted into a medical trial.
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“Aid equipment has been having to be installed in the house including a soon to be stairlift, lift assist and movement assistance devices are now needing to be used regularly. We are also awaiting for our acceptance into a medical trial in hopes of finding a cure.”
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