Veterans & ALS

Matt Bellina served nearly 10 years in the U.S. Navy as an EA‑6B Prowler Electronic Attack Pilot, retiring as Lieutenant Commander. Matt received his ALS diagnosis in April 2014, at just 30 years old, shortly before he and his wife welcomed their third child. He testified before Congress in support of the Right‑to‑Try Act, which was signed into law in May 2018. Through that law, he accessed 7 doses of the experimental stem‑cell therapy NurOwn between 2018–2020—the only U.S. patient to receive six consecutive recommended doses.

Matt’s results have been remarkable. After treatment, he:

• Regained lung capacity, allowing independence from assisted breathing

• Stood from his wheelchair unassisted—something he hadn’t done in two years.

• Improved arm strength enough for daily tasks like scratching his face and removing glasses.

• Able to play and make memories with his young children.

Brigadier General Tom “Mick” Mikolajcik had a distinguished 27‑year career. He commanded the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston AFB, served in Vietnam, the Cold War, and Somalia, and held key roles at the Pentagon. He was diagnosed with ALS in 2003. In 2007, General Mik warned Congress:

“We owe our veterans treatment now … If these soldiers were dying in the field rather than quietly at home… we would leave no stone unturned.” He highlighted how post‑9/11 veterans, particularly pilots and tactical operators, faced up to four times greater ALS risk. He died from ALS in April 2010, but his legacy endures. His testimony, along with tragically rapid pilot‑ALS deaths, underscores the moral imperative: veterans deserve immediate access to every possible treatment . His daughters and fellow advocates continue his fight.

Nick Warack is a former Naval Officer and P‑3 Orion pilot, serving as both flight instructor and mission commander. He flew over 100 combat missions across Iraq, the Horn of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Mediterranean, earning eight strike‑flight air medals. He was diagnosed with ALS in Fall 2020. Shortly after diagnosis, Nick was heartened by seeing Matt Bellina stand from his wheelchair. Nick realized Matt was a long‑lost friend from their 1990s Navy days. The rekindled connection deepened his resolve. Nick and his wife Jamie refused to wait. They engaged a pro bono legal team to challenge FDA approval delays for promising therapies. As Nick put it:

“We are not the type of people to sit back and do nothing… We are prepared to do something crazy to hopefully facilitate change.”