Gehrig Disease Victim Dies at 50
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Bob Waters, who continued to coach at Western Carolina University while he battled Lou Gehrig’s Disease, died Monday at his home in Cullowhee, N.C. He was 50.
Waters, a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, was removed as head coach of Western Carolina in March after he carried on a well-publicized fight against the disease that attacks the body’s nervous system and renders muscles useless.
Waters was diagnosed with the disease in 1984, and eventually lost the use of his arms and legs and was confined to a wheelchair. He was forced to use a microphone to amplify his voice and a respirator to aid his breathing.
Don Dalton, an assistant on Waters’ staff for 18 years, said Waters stayed up late Sunday night talking with his wife, Sheri.
“She said they had a great weekend and had stayed up late last night, talking and reminiscing,” Dalton said. “He had not lost his humor.”
Waters coached the Catamounts for 20 years and oversaw his last spring football game on April 5.
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