My husband Glenn Grant first noticed that something was off in February of 2022 when he realized he couldn’t say the word lettuce. He was initially misdiagnosed with a stroke at the University of Alberta Stroke Clinic, something very common for those with bulbar-onset ALS.

It wasn’t until six months later, in the summer of 2022, after continued decline, that he was officially diagnosed with bulbar-onset ALS. Glenn took one day to process the diagnosis, and then made a powerful decision: to focus only on the things that brought him joy.

One of those joys was food.

With the help of thousands of folks on social media all across Alberta, Glenn created a bucket list of hundreds of restaurants and began eating his way through Edmonton. Over the 27 months he lived with ALS, he turned this list into a delicious mission. Even as he raced against the clock of a disease that would eventually take away his ability to eat on his own.

But Glenn persevered. Right until the end. On his final day, the day he chose to end his life with MAiD, Glenn enjoyed a 27-month aged parmesan on top of his favourite Bolognese sauce. It was a beautiful and symbolic full circle.

Through his wife, Willy, Glenn courageously shared his story online. He helped thousands of people learn more about ALS and Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). His voice, humour, and hunger for life touched more people than he ever imagined.