Co-founder dies in accident
Griffin, who started the ALS ice bucket challenge with his friend Pete Frates, dies in a diving accident on Nantucket. Griffin had recently learned that the $100,000 had been raised for ALS, and he was very excited. His father tells The Boston Globe:
He was the happiest guy in the world. He called me last night and told me he was in paradise.
Griffin was visiting Nantucket in hopes of raising more money for the cause. At around 2:00 AM, Griffin dove off the Juice Guys’ building into Nantucket Harbor and drowned. A friend tells WHDH (Chanel 7 in Boston):
He threw himself behind a lot of causes. Way more so than anyone, you know, of our generation. And just put his heart and soul behind these things. He did it for Boston Children’s Hospital. He has been doing it more recently for ALS.
Kentucky fireman dies from challenge injuries
Captain Tony Grider dies from burn-related injuries he suffered last month. While helping the Campbellsville University band with their video challenge on August 21, 2014, four members of the Fire and Rescue Department in Campbellsville, Kentucky were shocked by power lines as two stood in a ladder bucket spraying water on the band and two more were on the ground. During the challenge Grider and another fireman were inside a bucket on a ladder above the students. When they finished dumping water, the students left and the firefighters began moving the ladder, authorities told CNN. The bucket came close to power lines and shocked the men, officials said. Two other men on the ground were also shocked as they tried to lower the bucket to the ground. Grider was 41 years old and leaves behind a wife and children.