Making It Possible #7 – Collin Halvorsen
I have always been that person that wants to help everyone. At a young age I knew I wanted to be an EMT after taking my First Aid Class in an ambulance bay. Throughout the years while working in a small town I worked in a combined facility (half hospital half care facility).
It was awesome I got to be an EMT/housekeeper/maintenance worker all in one and interact with patients on both sides of the door. After departing that career I then transitioned into a Safety Manger/Coordinator where I kept people from getting hurt/sick instead of treating them when they did.
Along the way some how I managed to help create and produce 3 great kids. Lol all the credit goes to their mother though 😊Yes without our moms we wouldn’t be here sharing our stories.
ALS was always something that has been on my radar. I followed it since I was 11 years old, long before my own diagnosis, especially after losing my Uncle to the disease far too quickly. Still, I never imagined how suddenly my own life would change.
I was officially diagnosed with ALS on March 17th 2026. Truthfully, it was a diagnosis I had been expecting for almost 18 months. When I finally heard the words out load, I wasn’t devastated – I was relieved. For so long, I had been telling people, “I don’t know what’s going on, the specialists are still trying to figure it out.” Finally having an answer meant I could stop living in limbo. Now I could stop saying “maybe” and now I could start putting real supports in place and access the people who specialize in this disease.
Since then, I’ve continued to approach this journey the only way I know how – with positivity, humor and determination. I’ve already told my specialists I want to participate in any research possible, whether that’s treatments, medications, or efforts toward a cure. If there is a chance it could help someone down the road, I want to be part of it.
One of the biggest supports I’ve received so far has come through the ALS Society of Alberta. Recently, they delivered a mobility scooter to me, it has already changed my day to day life. It gives me back some independence. No more arranging rides just to go a few blocks to the store. That freedom matters more than people realize.
I DO NOT want people saying they are sorry for me. I have lived an amazing life filled with incredible people, places and experiences. When we are born, a countdown clock starts for all of us. None of us know how much time is on it. We cannot beat that clock, but what we can do is make the most of the time we have – finding love, friendship, adventures, and joy wherever possible.
So I plan to keep finding new friendships, keep loving with all my heart, and keep treating every day as an adventure. I am now filling my time with getting out on my scooter, going to the rec center to walk, swim and exercise and have started new hobbies for the first time; soapstone carving and wood carving. I may identify more with the tortoise than the hare these days, walking slower with my walker, but I am still moving forward as my clock has not reached zero yet.
