Thousands turn out for Saturday's Walk MS

"Team Wingman" has raised $220,000 in three years

SAN ANTONIO – Thousands of people raised thousands of dollars Saturday for a disease that affects millions of Americans -- multiple sclerosis. 

The morning's Walk MS, hosted by the San Antonio MS Society aimed to raise money and awareness for the disease. 

"I was diagnosed (multiple sclerosis) in March of 2012, but actually had symptoms as far as 15 years old, where I was unable to walk for about three days," Christopher Potter said.

MS symptoms vary from debilitating exhaustion to numbness and vision loss.

"They call it the snowflake disease because no person with MS has the same exact symptoms," Potter said.

After suffering for 15 years, he was finally diagnosed and treated, thanks to the research that helps MS patients live day to day.

That research is funded by events like San Antonio's Walk MS, where the community teams up in support.

Potter and 14 other MS patients are on "Team Wingman," which started three years ago.

"We've gone from a team of three to a team of over 170 people, and we've raised over $220,000 since I've been diagnosed," Potter said.

Wingman teammates Gabriel and Alicia Ramirez said they are constantly amazed by Potter's positivity.

"He's such an inspiration," Alicia Ramirez said.  

"He show's that anything's possible," Gabriel Ramirez said.

"There are over 2.5 million (people) living with MS and we definitely need to find a cure for that," Potter said.

Potter said he hopes that with support like Saturday's event, that day will be soon.


About the Author:

Courtney Friedman anchors KSAT’s weekend evening shows and reports during the week. Her ongoing Loving in Fear series confronts Bexar County’s domestic violence epidemic. She joined KSAT in 2014 and is proud to call the SA and South Texas community home. She came to San Antonio from KYTX CBS 19 in Tyler, where she also anchored & reported.