Tribute to a Real Fighter

William L'Heureux

Bill Larue was known as the “laughing gladiator.” An amateur boxing champion, he was well-known to many San Franciscans in the 1920s and early 1930s for his athletic prowess and for his considerable charitable work with local organizations.

Bill’s son, William, was a teenager when his father was diagnosed with ALS. “I really didn’t know my father for a critical period of time when I was growing up,” William recalls. “I was deprived of his companionship while he spent a lot of time in hospitals.”

Just 17 years old when his father passed away, William remembers him fondly. “He never lost his good spirits and his humor. He was always doing something for others.”

William, now retired from the financial services industry, says it was always in the back of his mind to do something significant to help in the fight against ALS. With no children of his own, he was also concerned about the best way to distribute his estate.

William recently searched online for an organization that would accomplish his philanthropic objective. “I was looking for someone dedicated to eradicating this disease. From 10 possible organizations, I selected The ALS Association (ALSA) as the best qualified to do the job.” He says he was impressed by ALSA’s research program and low administration expenses.

Needing to revise his estate plans in light of recent changes in tax law, William decided to include The ALS Association in his living trust, along with two other charities close to his heart. William is remembering family first with specific bequests, and then splitting the remainder of his estate equally among his three chosen charities, including ALSA. This arrangement allows William to avoid estate taxes and, more importantly for him, provide meaningful support for those charities he cares for.

William’s legacy to ALSA is a tribute to his father. “I can see the terrible toll this disease takes on families, particularly the spouse and children,” he says. “I obviously hope you’ll find some cure for ALS soon. New avenues of research, particularly stem cells and genome research, make me very hopeful.”

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