When Angie was diagnosed with ALS on September 6, 2022, her husband, Marty and family faced an unimaginable moment. After taking ten days to gather their thoughts, they decided the best way forward was honesty and togetherness. “I texted all six kids around 4:30 one afternoon and told them to be at our place by 6:00 p.m., no exceptions,” her husband Marty recalls.
That evening brought tears, shock, and heartbreak but also laughter, love, and a plan. “A few hours after that meeting, everyone’s emotions shifted to storytelling and hope,” he said. “Angie was meant to be a mom and grandma, and the kids knew it. They began talking about having children sooner rather than later.”
Within a year of that family meeting, two new grandchildren were born and two more followed earlier this year. These days, the family finds joy close to home. With five of their six children living nearby in Portland, family barbecues and gatherings twice a week are a cherished routine. Travel, once filled with spontaneous trips to Disneyland, has become difficult both financially and physically but the laughter and connection at home mean more than ever.
The family’s ties to the University of Oregon run deep. Of their six children, Emily graduated from Oregon and their youngest, Ella Grace, planned to start at Oregon this fall. As Angie’s ALS has progressed, Ella Grace made the selfless decision to delay her college start to spend this precious time at home with her mom. The Oregon connection extends even further, with Marty's brother and numerous nieces and nephews also proud University of Oregon alumni.
Oregon Baseball will compete in the Live Like Lou Las Vegas College Baseball Classic this February, and the Quandt family feels a deep sense of pride and connection. Live Like Lou Las Vegas College Baseball Classic this February, the Quandt family feels a deep sense of pride and connection.
“For Angie and me, we are proud that Oregon is participating,” Marty shares. “It’s a big platform to bring awareness to and fight ALS. Knowing that people, teams, and schools who don’t even know us personally will connect with our family through events like this, that makes the ‘Live Like Lou’ battle cry real for us.”
The Quandts’ story embodies what it means to live with courage, gratitude, and love in the face of unimaginable challenges. Their Oregon pride and unwavering family bond remind us that living like Lou isn’t about the diagnosis, it’s about the strength to keep showing up for one another, every single day.
As part of the Live Like Lou For the Good campaign, Live Like Lou is proud to be the title sponsor of the Live Like Lou Las Vegas College Baseball Classic, where Oregon Baseball will take the field this February. Through this campaign, we’re supporting ALS families in the communities of the participating baseball teams and in the tournament cities, and we’re honored to share the story of one such family from Oregon: the Quandts.
