Friends stage fundraiser for Wheeling HS grad battling ALS

Eric and Jean Dahl with their children, Gunnar, 8; Andrew, 6; and Julia, 3, at the Les Turner ALS Walk4Life. Friends, family and co-workers will gather Saturday to celebrate Eric's 41st birthday and raise money to buy the family a customized van. Submitted photo

Eric Dahl's loyal friends from Wheeling High School and his younger days in Prospect Heights

are gathering Saturday for a fundraiser to buy him a customized van to help him get around as he battles ALS.

The Goin' Mobile fundraiser takes place 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday at Pinstripes, 7 Oakbrook Center Mall on Illinois Route 83 just north of 22nd Street in Oak Brook. The evening, which is also a 41st birthday celebration for Dahl, will feature food, bowling, live music, raffles and a silent auction. The requested donation is $50.

The group is hoping to raise at least $26,000 for a used van with a lowered floor and a wheelchair lift. A new one would cost about twice that, said Anthony Bozzi, one of the organizers.

Dahl, an engineer at Area Equipment, Inc. in Villa Park, and his wife, Jean, have three young children. The family recently moved to Dyer, Ind. to be closer to family.

"The most amazing thing about Eric and his situation is that he has never complained about anything," said Bozzi, who now lives in Los Angeles. "Not even once. Really. Not about his life, his body, his future, or his fate. His only concern from the very beginning of this ordeal has been for his wife and children.

"For him, everything else is by far secondary," Bozzi added. "Life threw him the most unexpected and bizarre curve ball. He immediately went to bat for his family. He hasn't looked back since."

Many groups, including Dahl's co-workers, have been inspired to work on fundraisers and projects for the Dahl family and the annual Les Turner ALS Walk4Life in Chicago, said Bozzi.

More information is available at FriendsofEric.net.