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BOSTON (AP) — The man who inspired the ice bucket challenge to raise millions of dollars for Lou Gehrig's disease research could be released from the hospital this week, his family said.
Pete Frates' brother, Andrew, told a Boston sports radio show that he has his "fingers crossed" that Pete will be released Tuesday from Massachusetts General Hospital and head home.
He told WBZ-FM that Pete Frates, who was hospitalized last week, is "doing great."
"He's taking this thing in stride," Andrew Frates said.
Andrew Frates addressed a false report of Pete Frates' death that circulated last Monday, saying the incident put the family into "a little bit of a tailspin."
"There was a 10-minute window where our family, we were kind of doubting ourselves," Andrew Frates said.
Pete Frates had responded with humor, posting a 45-second video on Twitter showing him lying in a hospital bed while the song "Alive" by Pearl Jam played in the background.
Andrew Frates said the family accepted an apology from the journalist who tweeted that Pete Frates had died.
"What's done is done, and thankfully, like I mentioned, my brother has a great sense of humor and he's actually spun it into more positive ALS awareness."
Pete Frates was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2012. The disease weakens muscles and impairs physical functioning. There is no known cure.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge raised more than $220 million when it took off worldwide on social media in 2014.
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