KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL)—At Tuesday’s meeting, the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen presented a proclamation declaring May as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Awareness Month in the city.

Ron Codispoti, whose father passed away from ALS in January of 2024, received an email from the ALS Association regarding the awareness month.

“There was an email that we had gotten that reached out to multiple people in the ALS community,” he said. “[It said to] reach out to your local board of mayors, representatives in any way. And so I did.”

Codispoti received a response from the city, stating the proclamation would be made at the May 20 Board Meeting. Kingsport Mayor Paul Montgomery presented the proclamation to Codispoti, alongside family and friends.

“It’s great to have it, to be more aware around not only this community, but hopefully more communities around the area, especially the Tri-Cities,” Codispoti said.

Codispoti said the proclamation is about bringing awareness to the disease.

“I want everybody to know that ALS is a disease that is very hard on families,” he said. “Not only on the person who receives this [diagnosis]. And I want everybody to know that if we band together, we can find a way to either find a cure or some way of not making this a last chance.”